Stems

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Stems (Medicine)

Stems (pronunciation: /stɛmz/) in the context of medicine, refer to the root or base of a word, to which affixes (prefixes and suffixes) are added to create new words. They are particularly important in the field of medical terminology, where they are used to construct and understand complex medical and scientific terms.

Etymology

The term 'stem' comes from the Old English word 'stefn', which means 'stock or trunk of a tree'. This is a metaphorical use, as the stem of a word, like the stem of a tree, is the main part to which other things are attached.

Usage in Medical Terminology

In medical terminology, stems are used as the basis for the creation of many medical terms. For example, the stem 'cardi-' refers to the heart, and can be found in words such as 'cardiology' (the study of the heart) and 'cardiomegaly' (enlargement of the heart).

Stems can be combined with prefixes and suffixes to create new words. For example, the prefix 'hyper-' (meaning over or excessive) can be added to the stem 'glyc-' (meaning sugar) to create the term 'hyperglycemia' (high blood sugar). Similarly, the suffix '-itis' (meaning inflammation) can be added to the stem 'gastr-' (meaning stomach) to create the term 'gastritis' (inflammation of the stomach).

Related Terms

  • Prefix: A morpheme added at the beginning of a word to modify its meaning.
  • Suffix: A morpheme added at the end of a word to modify its meaning.
  • Root: The most basic part of a word, from which other words are formed.
  • Affix: A morpheme added to a word to change its meaning. This includes both prefixes and suffixes.
  • Morpheme: The smallest meaningful unit of language.

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