Anatomical Terminology
Terms beginning with O and P prominently feature names of internal organs, bone structures, the nervous system, and spatial formations.
Internal organs and structures:
- Liver — hepar, ătis n
- Pancreas — pancreas, ătis n
- Kidney — ren, renis m
- Prostate gland — prostāta, ae f
- Esophagus — oesophăgus, i m
- Colon — colon, i n
- Rectum — rectum, i n
- Urinary bladder — vesīca urināria
- Gallbladder — vesīca biliāris
Osteology and membranes: Texts frequently feature terms describing bones and their elements. For example, vertebra — vertĕbra, ae f, while the first cervical vertebra (atlas) is designated separately as atlas, antis m. Humerus is denoted as humĕrus, i m, and calcaneus as calcaneus, i m.
Special attention should be paid to membranes. The general term membrane is tunĭca, ae f, whereas arachnoid mater has its own designation — arachnoidea, ae f. Membrane / web is translated as membrāna, ae f.
Openings, cavities, and pathways:
- Opening, foramen — forāmen, ĭnis n
- Opening (major, hiatus) — hiatus, us m
- Opening (ostium) — ostium, i n
- Cavity — cavĭtas, ātis f
- Sinus — sinus, us m
- Space, interval — spatium, i n
- Meatus, passage — meātus, us m
- Tract, pathway — tractus, us m
Pharmacology and prescription writing
The vocabulary contains names of numerous dosage forms, chemical compounds, and oils, as well as verbs essential for writing prescriptions.
Dosage forms and agents:
- Decoction — decoctum, i n
- Paste — pasta, ae f
- Pill — pilŭla, ae f
- Plaster, patch — emplastrum, i n
- Powder — pulvis, ĕris m
- Antidote — antidŏtum, i n
Plant oils: Genitive forms of plant names are used when prescribing oil solutions:
- Olive oil — oleum Olivārum
- Peach oil — oleum Persicōrum
- Sunflower oil — oleum Helianthi
Purification of substances: The term "purified" is translated differently depending on the substance. For sulfur, depurātus, a, um is used; for sera and vaccines, purificātus, a, um; and for alcohol and turpentine, rectificātus, a, um.
Prescription verbs: Third-conjugation verbs are regularly used in prescriptions: to prescribe (praescrībo, ĕre), to take (sumo, ĕre), to repeat (repĕto, ĕre).
Clinical diagnoses and processes
Medical practice requires precise descriptions of pathological conditions and examination methods.
Pathological conditions:
- Tumor can be designated by three terms: tumor, ōris m; blastōma, ătis n; neoplasma, ătis n.
- Edema — oedēma, ătis n
- Burn — combustio, ōnis f
- Fracture — fractūra, ae f
- Pneumonia — pneumonia, ae f
- Bed sore, pressure ulcer — decubitus, us m
- Defect, vitium — vitium, i n
Procedures and examination methods: Physicians use palpation (feeling) — palpatio, ōnis f and percussion (tapping) — percussio, ōnis f to examine a patient. Invasive interventions are also common: puncture — punctio, ōnis f and transfusion — transfusio, ōnis f.
When describing the course of a disease, characteristics such as acute (acūtus, a, um), subacute (subacūtus, a, um), progredient / progressive (progrediens, entis), and complicated (complicātus, a, um) are used.
Briefly: answers to topical questions
How are the Latin names of intestinal segments starting with O and P translated: colon, rectum, ileum?
- Colon — colon, i n.
- Rectum — rectum, i n.
- Ileum — ileum, i n.
How to translate prescription verbs starting with the letter P into Latin: to prescribe, to prepare, to filter?
- To prescribe — praescrībo, ĕre III.
- To prepare — paro, āre I; praepăro, āre I.
- To filter — translation is missing in the provided sources.
How to correctly prescribe herbal oils in prescriptions: olive, peach, sunflower, fir?
- Olive oil — oleum Olivārum.
- Peach oil — oleum Persicōrum.
- Sunflower oil — oleum Helianthi.
- Fir oil — translation is missing in the provided sources.
How are the names of internal organs starting with P translated into Latin: liver, kidney, pancreas, esophagus, prostate gland, parathyroid gland?
- Liver — hepar, ătis n.
- Kidney — ren, renis m.
- Pancreas — pancreas, ătis n.
- Esophagus — oesophăgus, i m.
- Prostate gland — prostāta, ae f.
- Parathyroid gland — the sources provide glandula parathyroidea as a dictionary combination and glandulae parathyroideae in the plural form.
How to translate clinical diagnoses starting with P into Latin: pneumonia, pressure ulcer, pleurisy, peritonitis?
- Pneumonia — pneumonia, ae f.
- Pressure ulcer — decubitus, us m.
- Pleurisy — pleuritis, pleuritĭdis.
- Peritonitis — peritonitis, peritonitĭdis.
How to translate anatomical terms starting with P: sinus, cavity, passage, pathway, septum, chiasm?
- Sinus — sinus, us m.
- Cavity — cavĭtas, ātis f.
- Passage — meātus, us m.
- Pathway, tract — tractus, us m.
- Septum — septum, i n.
- Chiasm — chiasma, ătis n; in the nervous system — decussatio, ōnis f.
How are bones starting with P translated into Latin: vertebra, humerus, calcaneus, metatarsal bone?
- Vertebra — vertĕbra, ae f.
- Humerus — humĕrus, i m.
- Calcaneus — calcaneus, i m.
- Metatarsal bones — ossa metatarsi.
How are the names of cranial nerves starting with O translated into Latin: olfactory, abducens, oculomotor?
- Olfactory nerve — nervus olfactorius.
- Abducens nerve — nervus abducens.
- Oculomotor nerve — nervus oculomotorius.
Pay attention to the translation of the word "fetus/fruit". If referring to a botanical fruit (e.g., of a plant), the term fructus, us m is used. If referring to a human or animal womb fetus — fetus, us m.
Class and exam questions
How to correctly translate "purified" in a prescription?
The choice of term depends on the substance being purified. For solid inorganic substances (sulfur), use depurātus. For biological preparations (serum) — purificātus. For liquids that have undergone distillation (alcohol) — rectificātus.
What is the difference between foramen, hiatus, and ostium?
Foramen is a typical anatomical opening (often in a bone). Hiatus designates a cleft or a large, gaping opening. Ostium is usually applied to the orifice or entrance into a hollow organ.
How are muscles designated by their function?
The dictionary presents masculine noun-muscles ending in -or. For example: depressor muscle — depressor, elevator — levātor, abductor — abductor, adductor — adductor, pronator — pronātor.
What else to study on this topic
- Adjectives of spatial arrangement (anterior, right, proximal, superficial).
- Greek and Latin equivalents of anatomical structures (lower back: lumbi / psoa, cavity: caverna / antrum).
- Nomenclature of salts: oxides, peroxides, and basic carbonates.
- Names of antibiotics and synthetic drugs starting with letters O and P.
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