Latin and Greek Prefixes and Suffixes Flashcards

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1
Q

a(n)

A

without, not

ex. anaerobic
a-pathy-lack of feeling
a-tom-indivisible
an-emia-lack of blood
an-esthesia-lack of sensation
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2
Q

aut(o)

A

self

ex. autonomic
auto-matism-a condition in which movements are made without
conscious exercise of the will
aut-opsy-seeing with one’s own eyes, post-mortem examination

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3
Q

dys

A

without, not

ex. anaerobic
dys-entery-bad intestine
dys-pepsia-bad digestion
dys-pnea-difficult breathing
dys-trophy-bad nourishment
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4
Q

ec–, ex(o)–, ect–

A

out, outside

ex. exoskeleton
ec-topic-out of place
ec-zema-a boiling out, an inflammation of the skin
ex-ophthalmos-eye (bulging) out
ex-ostosis-bone outside, a bony tumor
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5
Q

end(o)

A

within, inside, inner

ex. endometrium

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6
Q

epi

A

over, above

ex. epidermis

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7
Q

hyper

A

excessive, high, over, above

ex. hyperextension
hyper-emia-excessive blood
hyper-thyroidism-symptoms caused by excessive activity of the thyroid
hyper-tonic-excessive in tension
hyper-trophy-excessive nourishment, overgrowth

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8
Q

hypo

A

deficient, below, under, insufficient

ex. hypothalamus
hypo-chondriac-under the cartilage, an imaginary disease
hypo-dermic-under the skin
hypo-glyc-emia-low proportion of sugar in the blood
hypo-physis-a growth under (the brain), pituitary body

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9
Q

inter

A

between, among

ex. interoceptor

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10
Q

intrañ

A

within, inside

ex. intraocular

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11
Q

iso

A

equal, same

ex. isotope
iso-thermal-having the same temperature
iso-tonia-tonic equality

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12
Q

meta

A

beside, after, beyond, change

ex. metacarpus
meta-bolism-change in throwing, tissue change
meta-morphosis-change in form
meta-stasis–change in position
met-encephalon-after the brain, hindbrain

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13
Q

ortho

A

straight, correct

ex. orthopedic

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14
Q

para

A

beside, near, alongside, apart from, abnormal

ex. parathyroid
para-noia-abnormal in mind
para-plegia-near stroke, paralysis of the extremities
par-esthesia-abnormal perception
par-otid-beside the ear
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15
Q

peri

A

around, about

ex. pericardium
peri-cardium-around the heart, membrane covering the heart
peri-osteum-around the bone, membrane covering the bone
peri-stalsis-contraction around, contraction of the intestines
peri-toneum-(membrane) stretching around, lining of the abdominal cavity

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16
Q

sub

A

under

ex. subcutaneous

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17
Q

trans

A

across, beyond, through

ex. transplant

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18
Q

–blast

A
  • to sprout, to make, to bud

ex. chloroblast

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19
Q

–clast

A

to break, broken

ex. osteoclast

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20
Q

–crine

A
  • to release, to secrete

ex. endocrine

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21
Q

amphi-, ampho

A

on both sides, double

ex. amphi-bious-living on both sides (land and water)
amphi-theatre-a place for seeing around, an operating room
ampho-diplopia-double vision in both eyes
ampho-phil-fond of both, a cell which stains with either acid or dyes

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22
Q

ana-, an

A

up, upward, again

ex. ana-lysis-dissolution, breaking up (of chemical compounds)
ana-mnesis-recollection, medical history
ana-tomy-cutting up, dissection
an-a-phylaxis-renewed loss of protection

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23
Q

anti

A

against, opposed to, opposite of

ex. anti-dote-against a given thing (poison)
anti-pyretic-against fever
anti-septic-against infection
ant-acid-against an acid, neutralizing an acid

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24
Q

apo

A

off, away from

ex. apo-physis-a growth away, a projection (from a bone)
apo-plexy-a stroke away, a sudden stroke
apo-staxis-a trickling down, a slight hemorrhage
apo-thecary-a pharmacist (apotheke-a repository)

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25
Q

cata

A

down, downward

ex. cata-menia-according to month, menses
cata-rrh-a flowing down, inflammation of the mucous membrane
cata-tonia-a downward tone, stupor
cat-hod-downward way, the return goal of an electron

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26
Q

dia

A

through, across, completely

ex. dia-betes-a going through, syphon, syphon disease
dia-gnosis-knowing completely, determination of the nature of a disease
dia-rrhea-flowing through, fluid discharge
dia-thermy-heat going through, elevation of temperature by means of a current

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27
Q

en-, em

A

in, within

ex. en-cephalon-in the head, the brain
en-demic-in the people, present in a community
em-bolism-thrown in, a plugging of a vessel
em-bryo-grown in, fetus

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28
Q

pro

A

before, forward, in advance

ex. pro-drome-running before, an early symptom
pro-geria-before old age, premature aging
pro-gnosis-knowing before, forecast
pro-phylaxis-advance protection

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29
Q

syn-, sym

A

with, together, union

ex. syn-drome-running together, an aggregate of symptoms
sy-stole (from syn-stole)-contraction, the rhythmic contraction of the heart
sym-biosis-living together of two or more organisms
sym-ptom-a falling together, a sign

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30
Q

-ia

A

denotes a pathological state or condition

ex. agon-ia-contest, suffering
hyster-ia-a chronic neurosis formerly thought to be of uterine
causation (hystera-womb)
man-ia-madness
ophthalm-ia-inflammation of the eye
31
Q

-iasis

A

signifies a pathological state, condition, or its causation

ex. lith-iasis-formation of calculi (lithos-stone)
psor-iasis-a skin disease (ps6ra-itch)
trichin-iasis-a disease caused by trichinae infestation

32
Q

-ikos

A

an adjectival termination

ex. an-esthetic-pertaining to anesthesia, a drug producing anesthesia
epilept-ic-pertaining to epilepsy
hect-ic-irregularly feverish (hexis-habit; orig. meaning habitual)
patholog-ic-pertaining to pathology

33
Q

-ismos

A

denotes a condition

ex. embol-ism-the plugging of an artery or vein (embolos-wedge)
hypnot-ism-a condition of artificially induced sleep (hypnossleep)
metabol-ism-tissue change (metabol&-change)
rheumat-ism-rheumatic fever (rheuma-flux)

34
Q

-isties

A

signifies an agent or doer of the action indicated by the
root

ex. anatom-ist–one who cuts up
anesthet-ist-one who takes awaX sensation
orthodont-ist–one who straightens teeth
urolog-ist–one who treats urological disorders

35
Q

-itis

A

originally the adjectival ending -itis used with nosos-disease; it is now used alone and has acquired the significance of inflammatory disease

ex. inflammation of the part named in the stem
appendic-itis
arthrit-is brochritis 
bronch-itis
ot-itis
36
Q

-ize

A

a verbal suffix indicating treatment by means of a
special instrument or drug

ex. an-esthet’ize-to take away sensation
catheter-ize-to use a catheter
hypnot-ize-to put to sleep

37
Q

-ma, -ema, -oma

A

esignates a concrete pathological condition

ex. ec-zema-a boiling out, inflammation of the skin
ex-anth-ema-a skin flower, a skin eruption

Words ending in -oma are so numerous, referring usually to swelling or tumor, that this ending is considered equivalent to tumor,

e.g. carcin-oma-a cancerous tumor, a malignant growth
granul-oma-a tumor of granulation tissue
neur-oma-a tumor formed of nerve cells
sarc-oma-a fleshy thing, a fleshy tumor

38
Q

-oid

A

form, appearance; denotes a resemblance to the object designated in the main word

ex. sphen-oid-wedge-shaped (sphen-wedge)
typh-oid-like typhus fever (typhos-stupor)
thyr-oid-the shieldlike gland (thyreos-shield)
xiph-oid-sword-shaped (xiphos-sword)

39
Q

-sis, -osis

A

denotes any production or increase (physiological or pathological); secondarily an invasion and increase of parasites within the organism. It is often interchangeable with -iasis as trichin-osis or trichin-iasis

ex. adip-osis-an excessive accumulation of fat
rhe-xis (from rheg-sis)-a breaking, a rupture
sep-sis-a rotting, putrefaction
tubercul-osis-an invasion by the tubercle bacilli

40
Q

-ase

A

denotes a colloid enzyme

ex. amyl-ase-a starch splitting enzyme (amylon-starch)
lip-ase-a fat splitting enzyme (lipos-fat)

41
Q

-ate

A

indicates a salt of a base

ex. phosph-ate-a salt of phosphoric acid
sulph-ate-a salt of sulphuric acid

42
Q

-ide

A

a name for a binary compound containing a non-metallic element

ex. chlor-ide-a compound of chlorine with another element
sulph-ide-a compound of sulphur with a base

43
Q

-in

A

-a termination noting a glucoside

ex. fibr-in (L. fibra-fiber)
gelat-in (L. gelatum-congealed)
prote-in (Gr. pr6tos-first)

44
Q

-ine

A

an ending used in the names of alkaloids

ex. hero-ine-alkaloidal ester of morphine
morph-ine-alkaloid of opium

45
Q

-ite

A

a terminal indicating a salt of an acid ending in -ous

ex. phosph-ite-a salt of phosphorous acid
sulph-ite-a salt of sulphurous acid

46
Q

allo

A

other

ex. allo-cinesis-passive movement, reflex movement
all-ergy-a clinical change in the capacity of the organism to react to an infection, hypersensitiveness

47
Q

brady

A

slow

ex. brady-cardia-abnormal slowness of the heart beat
brady-pnea-abnormal slowness of respiration

48
Q

caco

A

bad

ex. cac-hexia-bad habit, lack of nutrition, and wasting
cac-idrosis-morbid sweating

49
Q

crypto

A

secret, hidden

ex. crypto-genic-of hidden, obscure origin
crypt-orchid-hidden, undescended testis

50
Q

ecto

A

outside

ex. ecto-derm-outer side of the skin
ecto-plasm-moulded on the outer side, the outer side of the cytoplasm

51
Q

erythro

A

red

ex. erythro-cyte-red cell, red corpuscle
erythr-edema-red swelling

52
Q

hemi

A

one half

ex. hemi-atrophy-atrophy of one lateral half of a part or organ
hemi-plegia-half stroke, paralysis of one side of the body

53
Q

hetero

A

other, different, opposite

ex. hetero-plasty-surgical grafting with tissue derived from another individual
hetero-tonia-different, variable tension

54
Q

homeo

A

similar

ex. homeo-pathy-a special system of therapeutics
homeo-stasis–condition of bodily equilibrium; literally “standing still”

55
Q

homo

A

the same

ex. homo-lateral-on or relatiftg to the same side
homo-sexual-having attraction for the same sex

56
Q

idio

A

one’s own, private

ex. idio-pathic-noting a primary disease, one originating without apparent extrinsic cause
idio-syncrasy-one’s own mixing, peculiarities of a person

57
Q

leuco

A

white

ex. leuco-cyte-white cell, white blood corpuscle
leuco-rrhea-white discharge

58
Q

macro

A

long, large

ex. macro-cephalic-having a large head
macro-glossia-enlargement of the tongue

59
Q

mega-, megal-

A

great, large

ex. mega-colon-dilatation of the large intestine
megalo-mania-delusion of grandeur

60
Q

melan

A

black

ex. melan-cholia-black bile, a depressed emotional state
melano-sarcoma-a deeply pigmented sarcoma

61
Q

meso

A

middle

ex. mes-encephalon-midbrain
mes-entery-middle intestine

62
Q

micro

A

small

ex. micro-be (mikros+bios)-small living thing
micro-scope-a viewer of small things

63
Q

mono

A

alone, single

ex. mono-nuclear-having a single nucleus
mono-plegia-paralysis of one limb

64
Q

neo

A

new, recent, young

ex. neo-natal-relating to the period immediately succeeding birth
neo-plasm-new growth

65
Q

oligo

A

little, few

ex. oligo-phrenia-mental weakness, feeblemindedness
oligo-pnea-infrequent respiration

66
Q

oxy

A

sharp, acid

ex. oxy-gen-a gaseous element present in acids
oxy-lallia-rapid speech

67
Q

paleo

A

ancient

ex. paleo-genesis-hereditary transmission of peculiarities
paleo-pathology-study of diseases of the prehistoric times

68
Q

pan

A

all, entire

ex. pan-creas-all flesh, the pancreas gland
pan-demic-a disease attacking all

69
Q

polio

A

grey

ex. polio-encephalitis-inflammation of the grey matter of the brain
polio-myelitis-inflammation of the grey matter of the spinal cord

70
Q

poly

A

much, many

ex. poly-pus-many feet
poly-uria-excessive urination

71
Q

proto

A

proto-plasm-first formed, living matter

proto-type-first form, primitive form

72
Q

pseudo

A

false, spurious

ex. pseudo-cele-false cavity, the 5th ventricle of the brain
pseudo-cyesis-false pregnancy

73
Q

tachy

A

fast

ex. tachy-cardia—quick heart, rapid action of the heart
tachy-pnea-rapid breathing

74
Q

xantho

A

yellow

ex. xantho-derm-yellow skin
xanth-opsia-yellow vision