Common Prefixes Flashcards
A-
Without, not, no
Example- apnea (without breathing)
Ab-
From, away from
Example - aberrant (wandering away from)
Ad-
Toward, increase
Example - adduct (movement toward the midline of the body)
alb-
white
Example - albino (person who has a marked deficiency of pigment in the eyes, hair, and skin; has abnormally white skin)
albin/o
white
Example - albinism ( conditions of abnormally white skin; characterized by absence of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes)
abi-
both, both sides’‘Examle - ambidextrous (able to use both hands well)
an-
without, not, no
Example - anesthesia (without feeling)
ante-
before, in front
Example - antecubital (“the space” in front of the elbow
anti-
against
Example - antidote (a drug or other substance that oppoes [works against] the action of a poison
auto-
self
Example - autograft ( a graft transferred from one part of a patient’s body to another)
bi-
bicuspid
Example - (having two cusps or points)
bio-
life
Example - biology (the study of life)
brady-
slow
Example- bradycardia (slow heart)
chlor/o
green
Example - chlorophyll (green pigment in plants that accomplishes photosynthesis)
circum-
around
Example - circumduction (movement around in a circle)
cirrh/o
yellow, tawny
Example - cirrosis (chronic degenerative liver disease with resultant yellowness of the liver and skin)
con-
together, with
Example congenital (born with )
contra-
against
Example - contraindication (against what is indicated)
cyan/o
blue
Example - cyanoderma (slightly bluish, grayish, slatelike, or dark discoloration of the skin)
de-
down, from
Example - descend (to come down from)
dia-
through
Example - diagnosis (knowledge through testing)
dis-
free of, to undo
Example - dislocation (the displacement [undoing] of any part of the body from its normal position)
dys-
bad, difficult, painful, disordered
Example - dyspnea (difficult breathing) is
ecto-
outside
Example - ectopic (outside its normal location–as in an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs in the fallopian tubes instead of in the uterus)
endo-
within, inner
Example - endoscope (instrument used to look inside the body)
eosin/o
red, rosy
Example - eosinophil (bilobed leukocyte that stains a red, rosy color with an acid dye)
epi-
upon, over
Example - epigastric (pertaining to the region over the stomach)
erythr/o
red
Example - erythrocyte (mature red blood cell)
eu-
well, easily, good, normal
Example - eupnea (normal breathing)
ex-
out, away from, outside
Example - exhale (to breath out)
exo-
outside, outward
Example - exogenous (originating outside the body)
extra
outside, beyond
Example - extrahepatic (outside of the liver)
glauc/o
gray, silver
Example - glaucoma (disorder of the eye due to increased intraocular pressure; creates a dull gray gleam of the affected eye)
hemi-
half
Example - hemiplegia (paralysis of one side [half] the body)
hetero
different
Example - heterogeneous (composed of different or unlike substances)
homeo-
likeness, same
Example - homeostasis (a relative constancy [likeness] in the internal environment of the body)
homo-
same
Example - homogenesis (having the same origins)
hydro-
water
Example - hydrocephalus (an abnormal accumulation of fluid [water] within the head)
hyp-
under, below, beneath, less than normal
Example - hypoxemia (less than normal blook oxygen level)
hyper-
excessive
Example - hyperemesis (excessive vomiting)
hypo-
under, below, beneath, less than normal
Example - hypoglycemia (less than normal blood sugar; low blood sugar level)
idio-
individual
Example - idiosyncrasy (an individual sensitivity to effects of a drug caused by inherited or other bodily constitution factors)
im-
not
Example - impotence (an adult male’s inability [not able] to achieve penile erection)
in-
in, inside, within, not
Example - incompetent (not capable)
inborn (acquired during intrauterine life)
infra-
beneath, below, under
Example - infraorbital (beneath the bony cavity in which the eyeball is located)
inter-
between
Example - intercostal (between the ribs)
intra-
within
Example - intravenous (within a vein)
jaund/o
yellow
Example - jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin)
juxta-
near, beside
Example - juxtaarticular (pertaining to a location near a joint)
leuk/o
white
Ezample - leukoplakia (white, hard, thickened patches firmly attached to the mucous membrane in areas such as the mouth, vulva, or penis)
melan/p
black
Example - melanoma ( a darkly pigmented cancerous tumor)
meso-
middle
Example - mesoderm (the middle of the three layers of the skin)
meta-
beyond, after
Example - metacarpals (pertaining to the bones after the carpal [wrist] bones; i.e. the hand bones
milli-
one-thousandth
Example - milliliter (one-thousandth of a liter)
mono-
one
Example - monovyte ( a white cell with a singular nucleus
multi-
many
Example - multipara (to bear manyu “children”)
non-
not
Example - noninvasive (pertaining to a diagnostic or therapeutic technique that does not require the skin to be broken [not invaded] or a cavity or organ to be entered)
pan-
all
Example - pancarditis (inflammation of the entire heart [all])
para-
near, beside, beyond, two like parts
Example - paracervical (near, or beside, the cervix)
per-
through
Example - percussion (striking through)
peri-
around
Example perianal (around the anus)
poli/o
gray
Example poliomyelitis (inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord)
poly-
many, much, excessive
Example - polyarthritis (inflammation of many joints)
polyuria (the excretion of large amounts of [much] urine)
post-
after, behind
Example - postcibal (after meals)
pre-
before, in front
Example - precodial (the region “of the chest wall” in front of the heart)
primi-
first
Example - primigravida (first pregnancy)
pseudo-
false
Example - pseudoanorexia (“false anorexia”; a condition i which an individual eats secretly while claiming a lack of appetite and inability to eat)
purpur/o
purple
Example - purpura (collection of blood beneath the skin in the form of pinpoint hemorrhages appearing as red/purple skin discolorations)
quadri-
four
Example - quadriplegia (paralysis of all four extremities)
re-
back, again
Example - reactivate (to make active again)
retro-
backward, behind
Example - retrocecal (pertaining to the region behind the cecum)
rube-
red
Example - rubella (a contagious viral disease characterized by fever, coldlike symptoms, and a diffuse, fine red rash [also German measles]
semi-
half
Example - semiconscious (half conscious)
sub-
under, below
Example - subcutaneous (under the skin)
supra-
above, over
Example - suprapubic (above, or over, the pubic area
sym
joined, together
Example - sympathetic (displaying compassion for another’s grief; literally. “joined in disease”)
syn
joined, together
Example - syndrome (a group of symptoms joined by common cause; “sunning together”)
tachy-
rapid
Example - tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)
trans-
across, through
Example - transurethral (across, or through, the urethra)
tri-
three
Example - triceps (“a muscle” having three heads)
ultra-
beyond, excess
Example - ultrasound (sound waves at the very high frequency of more then 20,000 vibrations per second)
uni-
one
Example - uninuclear (“a cell” having one nucleus
xanth/o
yellow
Example - xanthoderma (any yellow coloration of the skin)
-ambi
Both, both sides
