What ensures a medical term's root word retains its meaning?

The addition of a combining vowel, most commonly the letter "o," ensures that a medical term's root word retains its meaning while allowing for the formation of complex medical terms. In medical terminology, roots convey the fundamental meaning, and when combined with suffixes and prefixes, a combining vowel makes the terms easier to pronounce and allows for more fluid construction. For instance, when you combine the root "cardi" (meaning heart) with a suffix like "itis" (inflammation), it becomes "carditis." The combining vowel functions as a bridge between the root and the suffix, ensuring the root's meaning remains intact while modifying the term appropriately.

While suffixes and prefixes contribute additional information, they do not inherently alter the original meaning of the root word in the same way. The structure of the word itself is important but does not facilitate the connection between roots and the various components as effectively as a combining vowel does.