Final answer:
When encountering an unfamiliar medical term, it is important to determine the meaning of the root.
Step-by-step explanation:
When encountering an unfamiliar medical term, it is important to first determine the meaning of the root of the term. Anatomical terms in medicine consist of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. The root of a term typically refers to an organ, tissue, or condition, while the prefix or suffix provides additional information about the root.
For example, in the term "hypertension," the prefix "hyper-" means "high" or "over," and the root word "tension" refers to pressure, indicating abnormally high blood pressure.