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Define the term 'geriatrician' by breaking down its word parts: ger/e, iatr/o, -ic, and -ian.

The term 'geriatrician' can be broken down into the following parts: 'ger/e' meaning 'old', 'iatr/o' meaning 'treatment' or 'physician', '-ic' indicating 'pertaining to', and '-ian' denoting 'specialist'. Therefore, a geriatrician is a specialist in the treatment of older adults.

Key points

  • 'ger/e' means 'old'
  • 'iatr/o' means 'treatment' or 'physician'
  • '-ic' indicates 'pertaining to'
  • '-ian' denotes 'specialist'
  • A geriatrician specializes in the care of elderly patients.
Source:Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide, Ninth Edition· Concepts, Suffixes, and Prefixes of Medical Terminology· p. 47–53

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Cover of Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide, Ninth Edition

Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide, Ninth Edition

Barbara Janson Cohen, Shirley Jones

Ninth Edition · Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an Ascend Learning Company

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