UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE OF MEDICINE

Comparisons to Things Known:

The following examples will illustrate some of the picturesque characteristics of medical terminology. The language of origin of the terms is indicated in abbreviation following it, whereby "L." stands for Latin and "Gr." for Greek. A latinized form of Greek origin is shown by L/Gr. NOTE: Frequently used adjectives, verbs and plural forms are listed along with the terms from which they are derived, whenever their form or their spelling warrants special attention.

A. Words used in agriculture were found to make good comparisons and became medical terms:

Term	Original Meaning	Medical Application
fossa L	ditch	a natural body crease or indentation
semen L. adj. seminal v. disseminate	seed	sperm - pertaining to sperm "to scatter like sowing seeds" = to distribute throughout the body
nucleus L. adj. nuclear	kernel of a nut	inner core, a structure located in the center; or a structure resembling a kernel.
ramus L.	branch	a branch or division of a nerve or of a vessel, also a naturally protruding or "branching out" portion of a structure

B. Greek letters were used to describe similar anatomical shapes:

Term	Original Meaning	Medical Application
deltoid Gr.	like the letter delta (delta =p, -oid = like)	a muscle of this shape in the upper arm at the shoulder. Illustration p. 4
sigmoid Gr.	like the letter sigma (sigma =S, S)	the S-shaped loop of the lower colon Illustration. p. 11
lambdoid Gr.	like the letter lambda (lambda = l)	lambdoid suture = the line of bony fusion shaped like the letter lambda at the back of the skull.

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