Anatomical terminology
Terms from the medical field which apply to massage therapy originate from Latin and Greek languages. Nearly 2000 years ago as Western civilization began studying the anatomy of the human body, the medical terms reflect these languages and still remain the source for the terminology. In the past these names came from the person who first discovered them or there functions. Currently, words are being renamed to imply the position or function of its structure.
Medical terminology is constructed of root words, prefixes and suffixes.
To easier break down the terminology think of the first word as the location of the structure. The second work is usually a noun and places a name on its structure.
- Prefixes of the terms are syllables which are added in front of the root word allowing it further definition.
Word part Definition Example 1. Hypo Under, below Hypodermic 2. In Within, into, not, negative Internal, inept 3. Infra Beneath Infraspinatus 4. Intra Inside Intravenous 5. Leuk-(o) White Leukocyte 6. Macr – (0) Large, long Macrophage 7. Mal Abnormal, bad Malpractice 8. Medi Middle, midline Medial 9. Mega Large, extreme Megadose 10. Micro (o) Small Microscope 11. Mon (o) One, single Monolith 12. Multi Many, multiple Multiply 13. Narc Stupor, numbness Narcotic 14. Ne-(o) New Neophyte, neonatal 15. Nutri Nourish Nutrition 16. Para Next to, resembling, beside Paralysis, paraplegic 17. Path Pertaining to disease Pathology 18. Per Through Perforate 19. Peri Around Periosteum 20. Poly Many, much Polyunsaturated 21. Post After, later in time Posthumous 22. Pre, pro Before in time Previous 23. Pseudo (o) False Pseudonym 24. Quad Four Quadriplegic 25. Re Back, again Repeat, review 26. Retro Backward Retrofit 27. Sub Under, below Subscapularis 28. Super Above, in addition Superior 29. Supra Over, above, upper Supraspinatus 30. Syn Together, along with Synergist 31. Tri Three Triceps 32. Uni Single, one unilateral
