Autumn Term 2018 Handout 9
ADJECTIVES OF THE 3RD DECLENSION – A SUMMARY
 describing masculine or feminine nouns: -IS deformitas gravis, decubitus lumbalis
 describing neutral nouns: -E intestinum tenue, os breve
TYPICALLY:
- -ALIS/-ARIS, -ALE/-ARE > derived from nouns
e.g. pars dorsalis, os occipitale
- -FORMIS/-FORME > expressing similarity in shape
e.g. os cuneiforme, appendix vermiformis
- -BILIS/-BILE > expressing possibility
e.g. tumor operabilis, morbus insanabilis
B) with one gender form
 have one single form when describing nouns of all genders; e.g. ligamentum teres
 dictionary entry includes Genitive ending!!! (e.g. teres, etis)
TYPICALLY:
- -ENS/-ANS, entis/antis > usually parallel to English words ending in -ing / -ent
ren migrans, infarctus recens, ulcus perforans, ramus communicans, colon ascendens
- -CEPS, cipitis > referring to the number of heads in muscles
musculus biceps brachii
- -PLEX, plicis > referring to multiplicity
metastases hepatis multiplices, fractura simplex
DECLINING regardless of the number of gender forms!!
 Forms describing masculine and female nouns – like PELVIS BUT! Abl. Sg.: -i
 Forms describing neutral forms – like RETE
ren, is, m. + migrans, ntis fractura, ae, f. + simplex, icis ulcus, eris, n. + perforans, ntis
NOM ren migrans fractura simplex ulcus perforans
GEN renis migrantis fracturae simplicis ulceris perforantis
ACC renem migrantem fracturam simplicem ulcus perforans (=NOM)
ABL rene migranti fractura simplici ulcere perforanti
DIFFERENCE ONLY IN ACC SG, NOM PL, AND ACC PL!!!
A) with two gender forms
B)
C)
Autumn Term 2018 Handout 9
NUMERALS IN MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY -AN OVERVIEW
1) Numerals in anatomical terms
ordinal numerals (1 –12)
 behave like the 1st/2nd
declension adjectives
vertebrae cervicales (C I – VII)
atlas (C I)
axis (C II)
vertebra prominens (C VII)
vertebrae thoracicae (T I – T XII)
vertebrae lumbales (L I – L V)
vertebrae sacrales (S I – V)
vertebrae coccygeae (Co I – IV)
costae (I – XII)
costae verae (I – VII)
costae spuriae (VIII – XII)
costae fluctuantes (XI – XII)
digitus primus/secundus/tertius/quartus/quintus
dens incisivus primus/secundus
dens praemolaris primus/secundus
dens molaris primus/secundus/tertius
nervi craniales
nervus olfactorius (I)
nervus opticus (II)
nervus oculomotorius (III)
nervus trochlearis (IV)
nervus trigeminus (V)
mervus abducens (VI)
nervus facialis (VII)
nervus vertibulochochlearis (VIII)
nervus glossopharyngeus (IX)
nervus vagus (X)
nervus accessorius (XI)
nervus hypoglossus (XII)
nervi cervicales (C1 – C8)
nervi thoracici (T1 – T12)
nervi lumbales (L1 – L5)
nervi sacrales (S1 – S5)
Autumn Term 2018 Handout 9
2) Numerals in clinical terms
ordinal numerals:
expressing degree
compounds referring to number
of pregnancies/births
Asthma bronchiale gr. III.
Insufficientia renalis chronica gr. IV.
primi/secundi/terti/quarti/quinti/sextigravida
primi/secundi/terti/quarti/quinti/sextipara
multiple numerals (1 – 3 +
multiplex)
 behave like the 3rd
declension adjectives
with one gender form
St. p. hysterectomiam abdominalem simplicem
Pelvis renis l. dx. et ureter l. dx duplex
Tumor lobi superioris pulmonis l. sin. triplex
Metastases hepatis multiplices susp.
numeral adverbs (1 – 3)
 are indeclinable (i.e.
do not change case
forms)
Funiculus umbilicalis circum collum fetus semel/bis/ter in grav.
hebd. 40+4
Autumn Term 2018 Handout 9
EXERCISES
1. Classify adjectives into declensions based on their dictionary entries. Note the
number of their gender forms:
opticus, a, um parietalis, e migrans, ntis
biliaris, e felleus, a, um teres, etis
centralis, e ascendens, ntis biceps, cipitis
liber, era, erum sigmoideus, a, um simplex, icis
2. A) Choose the forms of adjectives to describe the nouns and create anatomical
terms:
caput + longus, a, um; brevis, e _________________________________
intestinum + tenuis, e; crassus, a, um _________________________________
musculus + rectus, a, um; biceps, cipitis _________________________________
colon + ascendens, ntis; sigmoideus, a, um _________________________________
tuber + ischiadicus, a, um; frontalis, e _________________________________
canalis + centralis, e; opticus, a, um _________________________________
B) Therapia…. (add the whole adjective phrase in proper case form)
fractura + multiplex, icis; apertus, a, um _________________________________
eczema + solaris, e; ruber, bra, brum _________________________________
urocystitis + acutus, a, um; levis, e _________________________________
herpes + febrilis, e; simplex, icis _________________________________
ulcus + perforans, ntis; molle, is _________________________________
ren + cysticus, a, um; migrans, ntis _________________________________
Autumn Term 2018 Handout 9
3. Mark the adjectives of 3rd declension in the following medical records. Decide
how many gender forms they have. Then translate into English:
corpus alienum intestini tenuis perforans
carcinoma capitis pancreatis inoperabile, metastases hepatis multiplices
vulnera lacera regionis frontalis, dorsi nasi, labii superioris oris et vestibuli oris
tumor lobi medii pulmonis l. dx. ad pericardium, diaphragma et nervum phrenicum increscens
st. p. excisionem coli subtotalem propter carcinoma coli descendentis
vulnus punctum cubiti l.sin., corpus alienum vitreum in situ
fractura intraarticularis partis distalis radii sin. dislocata comminutiva
fractura ossis cuboidei et navicularis pedis l. dx. sine dislocatione
ruptura musculi tricipitis surae l. dx. suspecta
corpora aliena vitrea multiplicia antebrachii l. dx.
contusio reg. lumbalis dorsi gravis
Autumn Term 2018 Handout 9
4. Put the following phrases from the abovementioned diagnoses into opposite
number (sg./pl.):
corpus alienum perforans __________________________________
carcinoma inoperabile __________________________________
vulnera lacera __________________________________
tumor increscens __________________________________
vulnus punctum cubiti __________________________________
fractura intraarticularis comminutiva __________________________________
contusio gravis __________________________________
5. Translate into Latin:
symptoms of starting tuberculosis
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
rupture of the round ligament of uterus in pregnancy
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
patient after recent excision of the right breast
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
worsening insufficiency of heart
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
tumor growing towards urinary bladder
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
recurring inflammation of middle ear
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
multiple penetrating injuries in hypogastric region
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Autumn Term 2018 Handout 9
PART III: VOCABULARY
abducens, ntis
abducent, drawing away from
the medial line
increscens, ntis growing
adiuvans, ntis assisting, aiding, helping (in)operabilis, e (in)operable
ascendens, ntis ascending, going upwards (in)sanabilis, e (un)treatable
biceps, cipitis two-headed, biceps (muscle) liquor, oris, m. liquid
biventer, tris having two “bellies” migrans, ntis changing place, migrating
comitans, ntis accompanying penetrans, ntis
penetrating, entering a
structure
communicans, ntis communicating permanens, ntis permanent, enduring
constituens, ntis
constituent, referring to part of
a whole
progrediens, ntis advancing, progressive
corrigens, ntis correcting recens, ntis recent
decolor, oris colourless
recidivans, ntis /
recurrens, ntis
recurring, repeating itself
descendens, ntis descending, going downwards simplex icis simple
duplex, icis
double, having two
components or functions
solvens, ntis dissolving
eczema matis, n.
eczema, inflammatory process
involving epidermis
teres, etis round
exacerbans, ntis worsening triplex, icis triple
exogenes, is originating outside the body tuber, eris, n. larger protuberance
fluctuans, ntis floating vermiformis, e
worm-shaped (with
appendix)
frequens, ntis frequent versicolor, oris multicoloured
herpes etis, m.
herpes, a skin disease caused
by the herpes virus
incipiens, ntis starting, incipient
COLLOCATIONS
delirium tremens acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome marked by hypertension,
irritability, agitation, tremor, and hallucinations
funiculus umbilicalis umbilical cord
in graviditatis hebdomade
(in grav. hebd. X+Y)
in the week of pregnancy (followed by number of weeks + days)
remedium cardinale the main medication with desired effect
remedium adiuvans the medication supporting the effect of the main one
remedium corrigens the medication correcting undesirable effects of the main one
remedium constituens the vehicle to dilute the main medication