Words created from abbreviations or from the first letters of a group of words.

-CAT scan

Words based on the personal names of people to describe a disease of body part.

-Hodgkin's lymphoma

• The basic part of the word (foundation)
• Contains the primary meaning
• Most medical terms contain at least one word root and sometimes more

-ab/norm/al

The word root is norm; it is the primary meaning of the word, and it means normal state.

The word part that is placed before the word root to change its meaning.

-ab/norm/al

The prefix ab is placed before the word root to modify the word meaning, and means away from.

The word part that is placed at the end the word root to change its meaning.

-ab/norm/al

The suffix al is placed after the word root to modify the word meaning and means pertaining to.