Key Takeaways
- Medical terms follow the structure: prefix + root/combining form + suffix
- Common prefixes: hyper- (excessive), hypo- (deficient), tachy- (fast), brady- (slow), poly- (many), dys- (difficult/painful)
- Common suffixes: -itis (inflammation), -ectomy (surgical removal), -osis (abnormal condition), -scopy (visual examination), -pathy (disease)
- Combining vowels (usually "o") connect roots to suffixes beginning with consonants
- Directional terms include anterior/posterior, superior/inferior, medial/lateral, proximal/distal, superficial/deep
- Body planes include sagittal (left/right), coronal/frontal (front/back), and transverse/horizontal (top/bottom)
- Body cavities include dorsal (cranial, spinal) and ventral (thoracic, abdominal, pelvic)
- Anatomical position: standing upright, facing forward, arms at sides, palms forward
- Abbreviations like PRN (as needed), BID (twice daily), TID (three times daily), and QID (four times daily) are commonly tested
Last updated: February 2026
Medical Terminology
Medical terminology is fundamental to healthcare communication. The RMA exam tests your ability to break down, interpret, and correctly use medical terms.
Word Structure: PREFIX + ROOT + SUFFIX
Medical terms are built from components that follow predictable patterns:
- Prefix: Beginning of the word; modifies meaning (e.g., hyper- = excessive)
- Root/Combining form: Core meaning of the word (e.g., cardi/o = heart)
- Suffix: End of the word; indicates procedure, condition, or part of speech (e.g., -itis = inflammation)
- Combining vowel: Usually "o"; connects root to suffix when suffix begins with a consonant
Example: Gastro/enter/itis = gastr (stomach) + enter (intestine) + itis (inflammation) = inflammation of the stomach and intestines
Common Prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a-, an- | Without, absence | Apnea (without breathing), anemia (without blood) |
| anti- | Against | Antibiotic (against life/bacteria) |
| bi- | Two | Bilateral (both sides) |
| brady- | Slow | Bradycardia (slow heart rate) |
| dys- | Difficult, painful, abnormal | Dyspnea (difficult breathing) |
| endo- | Within | Endoscopy (viewing within) |
| epi- | Above, upon | Epidermis (upon the skin) |
| hemi- | Half | Hemiplegia (paralysis of one half) |
| hyper- | Excessive, above | Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) |
| hypo- | Below, deficient | Hypotension (low blood pressure) |
| inter- | Between | Intercostal (between ribs) |
| intra- | Within | Intravenous (within a vein) |
| poly- | Many | Polydipsia (excessive thirst) |
| post- | After | Postoperative (after surgery) |
| pre- | Before | Prenatal (before birth) |
| sub- | Below, under | Subcutaneous (under the skin) |
| supra- | Above | Suprapubic (above the pubic bone) |
| tachy- | Fast | Tachycardia (fast heart rate) |
Common Roots / Combining Forms
| Root | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| arthr/o | Joint | Arthritis (joint inflammation) |
| cardi/o | Heart | Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease) |
| cephal/o | Head | Cephalic (pertaining to the head) |
| derm/o, dermat/o | Skin | Dermatitis (skin inflammation) |
| gastr/o | Stomach | Gastroscopy (viewing the stomach) |
| hem/o, hemat/o | Blood | Hematuria (blood in urine) |
| hepat/o | Liver | Hepatitis (liver inflammation) |
| my/o | Muscle | Myalgia (muscle pain) |
| nephr/o, ren/o | Kidney | Nephritis (kidney inflammation) |
| neur/o | Nerve | Neurology (study of nerves) |
| oste/o | Bone | Osteoporosis (porous bones) |
| pneum/o, pulmon/o | Lung | Pneumonia (lung infection) |
| path/o | Disease | Pathology (study of disease) |
| thromb/o | Blood clot | Thrombosis (clot formation) |
Common Suffixes
| Suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -algia | Pain | Myalgia (muscle pain) |
| -centesis | Surgical puncture | Thoracentesis (puncture of chest) |
| -ectomy | Surgical removal | Appendectomy (removal of appendix) |
| -emia | Blood condition | Anemia (deficiency of blood) |
| -gram | Record/image | Electrocardiogram (heart rhythm record) |
| -graph | Recording instrument | Electrocardiograph (ECG machine) |
| -itis | Inflammation | Bronchitis (bronchial inflammation) |
| -lysis | Destruction, breakdown | Hemolysis (destruction of blood cells) |
| -ology | Study of | Cardiology (study of the heart) |
| -oma | Tumor | Carcinoma (cancerous tumor) |
| -osis | Abnormal condition | Cyanosis (blue discoloration) |
| -otomy | Cutting into | Tracheotomy (cutting into the trachea) |
| -pathy | Disease | Neuropathy (nerve disease) |
| -plasty | Surgical repair | Rhinoplasty (nose repair) |
| -scopy | Visual examination | Colonoscopy (examining the colon) |
| -stasis | Stopping, controlling | Hemostasis (stopping blood flow) |
Directional Terms
These terms describe locations and relationships in the body using anatomical position (standing upright, facing forward, arms at sides, palms facing forward):
| Term | Meaning | Opposite | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anterior (ventral) | Front | Posterior (dorsal) | The sternum is anterior to the spine |
| Posterior (dorsal) | Back | Anterior (ventral) | The spine is posterior to the sternum |
| Superior (cranial) | Above, toward head | Inferior (caudal) | The heart is superior to the stomach |
| Inferior (caudal) | Below, toward feet | Superior (cranial) | The bladder is inferior to the kidneys |
| Medial | Toward midline | Lateral | The nose is medial to the eyes |
| Lateral | Away from midline | Medial | The ears are lateral to the nose |
| Proximal | Closer to origin/trunk | Distal | The elbow is proximal to the wrist |
| Distal | Farther from origin/trunk | Proximal | The fingers are distal to the wrist |
| Superficial | Near the surface | Deep | The epidermis is superficial to the dermis |
| Deep | Away from the surface | Superficial | Muscles are deep to the skin |
| Prone | Lying face down | Supine | Patient is prone for back examination |
| Supine | Lying face up | Prone | Patient is supine for abdominal exam |
Body Planes
| Plane | Division | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sagittal (median) | Left and right | Vertical plane dividing body into left and right halves |
| Coronal (frontal) | Anterior and posterior | Vertical plane dividing body into front and back |
| Transverse (horizontal) | Superior and inferior | Horizontal plane dividing body into upper and lower |
Body Cavities
| Cavity | Contents |
|---|---|
| Cranial | Brain |
| Spinal (vertebral) | Spinal cord |
| Thoracic | Heart, lungs, major vessels |
| Abdominal | Stomach, liver, intestines, kidneys, spleen, pancreas |
| Pelvic | Bladder, reproductive organs, rectum |
Common Medical Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| PRN | As needed (pro re nata) |
| BID | Twice daily (bis in die) |
| TID | Three times daily (ter in die) |
| QID | Four times daily (quater in die) |
| QD | Once daily (quaque die) |
| PO | By mouth (per os) |
| IM | Intramuscular |
| IV | Intravenous |
| SubQ / SC | Subcutaneous |
| NPO | Nothing by mouth (nil per os) |
| Dx | Diagnosis |
| Tx | Treatment |
| Rx | Prescription |
| Hx | History |
| Sx | Symptoms |
| SOB | Shortness of breath |
| HTN | Hypertension |
| DM | Diabetes mellitus |
| URI | Upper respiratory infection |
| UTI | Urinary tract infection |
Test Your Knowledge
The medical term "tachycardia" means:
A
B
C
D
Test Your Knowledge
The suffix "-ectomy" means:
A
B
C
D
Test Your Knowledge
A patient lying face up is in the _____ position.
A
B
C
D
Test Your Knowledge
The abbreviation "BID" on a prescription means the medication should be taken:
A
B
C
D
Test Your Knowledge
The body plane that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions is the:
A
B
C
D
Test Your KnowledgeFill in the Blank
The prefix "hypo-" means below or ___, while "hyper-" means above or excessive.
Type your answer below
Test Your KnowledgeMatching
Match each medical term with its correct meaning.
Match each item on the left with the correct item on the right
1
Hepatitis
2
Nephrectomy
3
Colonoscopy
4
Myalgia
5
Rhinoplasty
Test Your KnowledgeMulti-Select
Which of the following abbreviations indicate medication frequency? (Select all that apply)
Select all that apply
BID
NPO
TID
IM
QID
PRN