Medical Jargon
Created | Updated Jan 20, 2012
If doctors do not want to be understood, they use Latin jargon. Right?
Wrong. Most of the medical jargon is of Greek origin. There are Latin words, of course, like appendix, or arteria femuralis, but other phrases, for example diaphragma, haemophilia, hydrocephalos and physiognomia, are Greek.
Even if you have not learned Greek or studied medicine, the information below will allow you to understand a decent amount of these phrases.
Step One
Try to find pairs of words, prefixes and suffixes which seem to have opposite meanings:
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hyper- | high | hypertonia: high pressure/tension |
| hypo- | low | hypotonia: low pressure/tension |
| endo- | inside | endogenous: of inside origin |
| exo- | outside | exogenous: of outside origin |
| eu- | good/well | eutrophy: state of being well nourished |
| dys- | bad/faulty | dystrophy: state of being bad nourished |
| -philic/-philia | (having) strong affinity to so/sth | necrophilia: affinity to dead bodies |
| -phobic/-phobia | (having) lack of affinity, dread of so/sth | akrophobia: fear of heights 1 |
| tachy- | quick/fast | tachycardia: fast heartbeat |
| brady- | slow | bradycardia: slow heartbeat |
| -megalo2- | large | acromegaly: a disease characterised by excessive growth and enlargement of various bits of the body |
| -micro- | small | microphthalmia: a disease characterised by extremely small eyes |
Step Two
Try to find word parts which seem to indicate an effect:
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -gen- | creating3, producing or inciting something | carcinogenous (producing cancer) |
Step Three
Try to find words for things and body parts:
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -cephal- | head | |
| -encephal- | brain (in the head) | EEG (Electroencephalogram = measuring of the brain electricity) |
| -ergo- | work | ergometer (device to measure work) |
| -cardia- | heart | see above: tachy-/bradycardia |
| -ophthalmo- | eye | see above: microphthalmia |
Step Four
Use your newly adopted knowledge to find excellent excuses for not having to go to work:
'I can't come to the office today because work makes my thinking far too slow' is far less impressive than 'because I have an acute ergogenous bradyencephalia'.
As you see, (ancient) Greek is a very logical language with a dramatically underestimated impact on today's life. Keep on searching useful words at the (Ancient) Greek - English Dictionary.
You'll be surprised how many Greek words sound familiar to you!
Please Note: h2g2 is not a definitive medical resource. If you have any health concerns you must always seek advice from your local GP. You can also visit NHS Direct or BBC Health Conditions.
