Final answer:
Medical terminology is constructed from root words, prefixes, and suffixes. These components work together to describe specific medical conditions or anatomy, such as in the term 'hypertension'. The anatomical position serves as a standard reference stance to avoid orientation confusion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three components that medical terminology is broken down into are root words, prefixes, and suffixes. These elements are combined to give precise meaning to medical terms. For example, the term hypertension consists of the prefix 'hyper-' meaning 'high' or 'over' and the root word 'tension' referring to pressure, indicating high blood pressure.
Anatomical position is a standardized stance in which body descriptive terminology applies without confusion about the body's orientation: the body stands upright, feet shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward.