Veterinary terminology is a completely new language. This chapter explores how medical terms are constructed. Once an understanding of some basic body parts and their terms are learned, words can begin to be built up. A long, confusing medical term can be broken down into sections to obtain its meaning. The main section of the word is the word root and it is this which gives the word its meaning. A prefix or suffix is added to the word root at the beginning or end to change its meaning. The chapter provides examples of words that combine the root with various prefixes and suffixes to form new words for the following areas: the Heart; the Respiratory system; the Digestive system; the Urinary system; the Reproductive system; the Skeletal system; the Endocrine system; the Nervous system; the Eye; the Ear; the Mouth; the Skin; and Tumours.