How to understand medical terms your doctor uses
The short answer: ask your doctor to explain any word you don't know, in plain language, before the visit moves on. Ask them to write the key points down, say the plan back in your own words, and look up anything left over afterwards. Learning a few common word parts also helps you decode new terms.
Why medical words feel like another language
Clinicians spend years learning a specialized vocabulary, and they use it all day. The National Library of Medicine's medical words tutorial even offers to help you find out why you and your doctor sometimes are "speaking different languages."1 Understanding medical words is part of health literacy: having the information you need to make good decisions about your health.3
It's not a sign that you aren't trying hard enough. Here are six things that help, starting with the easiest.
In the room
1. Stop and ask
If you don't understand something, ask your provider to explain it.3 You don't need to wait for a gap. A short interruption works fine: "Sorry, what does that word mean?" or "Can you say that in plain words?" MedlinePlus recommends making sure you and anyone with you understand everything the provider said before you leave.4
2. Ask for the important words in writing
Ask the provider to write down their instructions.3 If a diagnosis name or a test name is new to you, ask them to write it down or spell it. It makes it much easier to look up later, and it helps if you need to explain it to a family member. Our guide to the after visit summary shows what many clinics already give you in writing.
3. Say it back in your own words
Before you leave, try: "So I'm hearing that… is that right?" This checks that the term and the plan mean to you what they meant to your doctor. If something important seems to be missed, speak up.4 If someone is with you, they can help catch words you missed. Our guide to taking notes at an appointment has a simple way to jot down unfamiliar words as you hear them.
Afterwards
4. Break the word into parts
Many medical words are built from smaller pieces, and the same pieces turn up again and again. The National Library of Medicine's tutorial teaches this approach.1 Its word-parts list says a part can come at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a word.2 A few examples from that list:
- cardi-, cardio- means heart.2
- hepat-, hepato- means liver.2
- -itis means inflammation.2
- -ectomy means cut out or removal.2
Put two together and you can often get the gist: hepat- plus -itis points to inflammation of the liver. Treat this as a way to make sense of what you heard, not a way to work out what's wrong with you. Only your clinician can tell you what a term means for your own health.
5. Look up abbreviations
Notes and after-visit paperwork are full of short forms. MedlinePlus links to a list of common abbreviations from its tutorial and its health literacy page.1, 3 If an abbreviation isn't on the list, ask the office what it stands for.
6. Keep a running list and follow up
Write down every word you didn't catch and bring the list to the next visit, or send it to the office. MedlinePlus suggests going over the provider's instructions after the visit and contacting the office with any remaining questions.4 You can also use the AHRQ QuestionBuilder app, which MedlinePlus lists as a tool for preparing questions.3 Don't start, stop or change a medicine based on your own reading of a term. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
Common questions
Is it okay to ask my doctor to explain a word again?
Yes. MedlinePlus's health literacy guidance tells patients that if they don't understand something, they should ask the provider to explain it.3
Where can I look up a medical word I heard?
MedlinePlus has an Understanding Medical Words tutorial, a list of word parts and what they mean, and a list of common abbreviations.1, 2
What if I still don't understand after I get home?
Go over your notes and any written instructions, then contact the office with your remaining questions.4 Don't change or stop a medicine until you've checked with your doctor or pharmacist.
Sources
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Understanding Medical Words Tutorial. Updated September 30, 2024.
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean. No date shown on page.
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Health Literacy. Updated October 5, 2024.
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Caregiving – taking your loved one to the doctor. Reviewed April 9, 2026.
This guide is general information and isn't medical or legal advice. Always follow the advice of your own doctor or care team. If you think you're having a medical emergency, call 911.