commonly used prefixes Flashcards
a-, an-, in-
without, negative
example: amenorrhea - without monthly flow
ab-
from, away from
example: abnormal - away from normal
ad-, ac-, as-, at-
to, toward
example: adduct - carry toward
allo-
other
example: allograft - grafted tissue donated from one person to another
amphi-
both sides, surrounding
example: amphiarthrosis - union between two bones at a joint
aniso-
unequal
example: anisocytosis - abnormal condition of two unequal cells
ante-, pre-
before
example: anterior - front
prenatal - before birth
anti-, ant-, ob-
against
example: antipyretic - agent used against fever
bi-
two
example: bilateral - two sides
bio-
life
example: biology - study of life
brachy-
short
example: brachydactylism - short toes and fingers
brady-
slow
example: bradycardia - slow heart rate
cata-
down
example: catabolism - breakdown of nutrients
cent-
hundred
example: centimeter
chlor-
green
example: chloropsia - green vision
circum-
around
example: circumcision - to cut around
co-, com-, con-
with, together
example: congenital - born together with
contra-
against
example: contraindicated: against indications
cyano-
blue
example: cyanosis - blue colored skin
de-
away from
example: dehydrate - loss of water
dextr-
right
example: dextrocardia - heart displaced to right
dia-
through
example: diarrhoea - flow through
diplo-
double, twofold
example: diplopia - double vision
dis-
apart
example: dissect - to cut apart
dys-
bad, difficult
example: dyspnea - difficult breathing
e, ex-
out, out from
example: excise - to cut out
ect-, exo-, extra-
outside
example: extracorporeal - outside the body
en-
in, on
example: encapsulated - in a capsule
end-
within
example : endoscopy - visualisation within
epi-
upon
example: epidermis - upon skin
eu-
good
example: euhonic - good sound
eury-
broad, wide
example: eurygnathous - having a wide jaw
gero, geronto-
old, elderly
example : gerontology - study of diseases
hem-, semi-
half
example: hemigastrectomy - surgical removal of half of the stomach
hydro-
water
example: hydrocephalus - water on the brain
hyper-
over, above
example: hypoglossal - under the tongue
immun-
free, exempt
example: immunity - exempt from effect of specific disease
in-
not
example: insoluble - not able to dissolve
infra-
beneath
example: inframammary - beneath the breast
inter-
between
example: intercellular - between cells
intra-
within
example: intracranial - within the cranium
iso-
same
example: isocoria - pupils of equal size
kil-
thousand
leio-
smooth
example: leiomyoma- smooth muscle tumor
lepto-
high, thin
example: leptocephaly - having a long thin head and neck
levo-
left
example: levoduction of the eye- movement of eye to left
lys-
dissolution, disintegration
example: lysosome - organelle that degrades worn cell parts
macr-
large
example: macrocyte - large cell
mal-
bad
example: malnutrition - bad nourishment
mes-
middle
eg. mesentery : middle of intestine
meta-
after, beyond
eg. metacarpals : beyond carpals (wrist)
micr-
small
eg. microcephal - having a small head
milli-
one-thousandth
multi-
many
eg. multipara: one who has many children
neo-
new
eg. neoplasm: new growth
normo-
normal
eg. normocyte: normal, healthy RBC
olig-
scanty, few
eg. oliguria: scanty amount of urine
onc-
tumor
eg. oncology: study of tumors
opistho-
behind, backward
eg. opisthotonos: bending backwards
pachy-
thick
eg. pachyderma: thick skin
per-
through
eg. percutaneous: through the skin
peri-
around
eg. peritonsillar: around tonsil
photo-
light
eg. photophobia: scared of light
pleur-
side, rib
eg. pleural membrane: serous membranes that enclose the lungs
poly-
many, much
eg. polycystic: many cysts
post-
after
eg. postmorten: after death
pre-
before
eg. prenatal: before birth
presby-
old
eg. presbyopia: old vision
primi-
first
eg. primigravida: first preg
pro-
before
eg. prognosis: prediction of the probable outcome of a disease
re-
back, again
eg. regenerate: develop again
retr-, retro-
behind
eg. retrosternal: behind sternum
rhod-
red
eg. rhodopsin: visual pigment in eye
semi-
half
eg. semicomatose: in a partial comatose state, semiconscious
sub-
under
eg. sublingual: under the tongue
super-, supra-
above
eg. supraspinal: above the vertebral column
syn-, sym-
with, together
eg. synergism: working together
tachy-
fast
eg. tachyphasia: fast speech
un-
not
eg. unconscious
