The best way to learn medical terminology is to become familiar with the structure and the most commonly used components. Basic Components of Medical Terms. Most medical terms consist of three basic components: root word (the base of the term), prefixes (letter groups in front of the root word) and suffixes (letter groups at the end of the root word). When placed together, these three components define a particular medical term.
Vicar general. A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary.
noun, plural vicars-general. 1. Roman Catholic Church. a priest deputized by a bishop to assist him in the administration of a diocese. 2. Church of England. an ecclesiastical officer, usually a layperson, who assists a bishop or an archbishop in the discharge of his judicial or administrative duties. Origin of vicar-general.