Describe how word parts are combined to form medical terms.

Description should include the following:

• Building terms from word parts by blending roots, prefixes, and suffixes
• Separating longer terms into roots, prefixes, and suffixes, and defining their meanings
• Showing how and why combining forms may vary slightly in spelling from term to term (e.g., using the combining form hepat- when the suffix begins with a vowel, as in hepatitis vs. using the variation hepato- when the suffix begins with a consonant, as in hepatomegaly)

Process/Skill Questions:

• How would a healthcare worker use knowledge of prefixes, roots, and suffixes to determine the definition of a medical term?
• What is a combining vowel? When is a combining vowel used?
• What is the usual way to add a suffix to a word root that begins with a consonant? Why?
• What are the prefixes that indicate color? When might such prefixes be used?
• What are the prefixes that indicate number? When might such prefixes be used?
• What are the common prefixes used to construct medical terms?
• What are the common suffixes used to construct medical terms?