The Brief History of Medical Language

Medical language began with the ancient Greeks over 2,000 years ago. Hippocrates and Aristotle were among the first to study and write about medicine. The Romans continued the practice, adopting elements of the Greek language to use alongside Latin.

Most terms used today are formed from Greek and Latin word roots, prefixes, and suffixes, such as oste/o/arthr/itis.

The History of Medical Language

Medical terminology continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of medicine and healthcare. Included in today’s language, besides terms built from Greek and Latin word parts, are terms that are:

  • Eponyms – derived from a name or place. (Alzheimer disease)
  • Acronyms – formed from the first letter of a phrase. (laser-light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation)
  • Modern Language English Terms – descriptive of technology and procedures. (nuclear medicine scanner)

Memorizing long and seemingly complex medical terms can seem overwhelming. In our textbooks Exploring Medical Language,11th Edition, and Basic Medical Language, 7th Edition, Elsevier, we simplified learning by separating the terms into two groups

  • terms built from word parts
  • terms not built from word part

 
with specialized exercises for each.

 

 

Medical Terminology Games

Games are a powerful and fun activity for learning.


Additional Categories

Medical Terminology

New Terms


Medical language began with the ancient Greeks over 2000 years ago, since then as medical practice evolved so did the language of medicine.

Use this category to keep current.

Medical Terminology

Faculty Tips


Teaching a new language can have its challenges.

Use this category for practical hints and techniques for teaching and learning medical terminology.

Medical Terminology

Featured Terms


Medical terms are from Greek and Latin origin, modern language, acronyms or eponyms.

Use this category to learn about medical terms in depth.

Medical Terminology

Videos


Short videos allow for efficient processing of information and memory recall.

Use this category of selected videos to watch individually or in the classroom.


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