Medical Terminology: Adjectives
Medical terminology adjectives are based on the same root words as nouns and can take
one of several endings. For now, we will concentrate on those that end in –al, and -ic.
1. -al is a very common suffix in medical terminology. Adjectives corresponding to
nouns that end with –um or -ium usually end with –al and so do many nouns that end
with –a.
Noun
Meaning
Adjective
Example of use
Myocardium
The heart muscle
Myocardial
Myocardial infarction
Endometrium
Lining of the uterus
Endometrial
Endometrial biopsy
Rectum
Last part of the
large intestine
Part of the small
intestine
Rectal
Rectal thermometer
Ileal
Ileal valve
Ileum
2. –ic is another common ending and is found in adjectives that correspond to nouns that
end with any of the following suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
Adjectives
Example of use
- itis
- pathy
- plegia
Inflammation
Disease/damage
Paralysis
- itic
- pathic
- plegic
Arthritic joints
Neuropathic symptoms
Paraplegic
- pnea
- rrhea
- rrhagia
- scopy
Breath
Flow
Fast flow
Visual exam
- pneic
- rrheic
- rrhagic
- scopic
Tachypneic
Amenorrheic
Hemorrhagic fever
Endoscopic examination
- sclerosis
- stasis
-trophy
Hardening
- Sclerotic
Control/stop
- static
Growth/nourishment - trophic
Sclerotic lesions
Oncostatic
Atrophic
3) Many root words and organ names take –ic or –al adjective endings as well
Root
Organ/body part
Adjective
Example of Use
Cephal
Cyst
Head
Bladder/sac
Cephalic
Cysctic
Mesenteric vessels
Cystic fibrosis
Enter
Hepat
Pneumon
Intestines
Liver
Lung
Enteric
Hepatic
Pneumonic
Mesenteric arteriography
Hepatic duct
Pneumonic plague
Splen
Ped
Digit
Spleen
Foot
Finger
Splenic
Pedal
Digital
Splenic enlargement
Pedal edema
Digital rectal examination
Derm
Neur
Skin
Nerve
Dermal
Neural
Transdermal delivery system
Neural tube defect
Note: ‘dermal’ means ‘of the skin, but some adjective containing the root ‘-derm’ end in
‘-ic’, as in hypodermic, which means ‘under the skin’.
4) There are several other adjective endings, such as:
Noun ending
Example
Adjective
-cle/cule
-ula
-ynx
-illa
Clavicle
Scapula
Larynx
Axilla
Clavicular
Scapular
Laryngeal
Axillary
Visit the class website for medical terminology vocabulary exercises and activities.
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