Latin and Greek Prefixes and Suffixes Flashcards
a(n)
without, not
ex. anaerobic a-pathy-lack of feeling a-tom-indivisible an-emia-lack of blood an-esthesia-lack of sensation
aut(o)
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
dys
without, not
ex. anaerobic dys-entery-bad intestine dys-pepsia-bad digestion dys-pnea-difficult breathing dys-trophy-bad nourishment
ec–, ex(o)–, ect–
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
end(o)
within, inside, inner
ex. endometrium
epi
over, above
ex. epidermis
hyper
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
hypo
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
inter
between, among
ex. interoceptor
intrañ
within, inside
ex. intraocular
iso
equal, same
ex. isotope
iso-thermal-having the same temperature
iso-tonia-tonic equality
meta
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
ortho
straight, correct
ex. orthopedic
para
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
peri
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
sub
under
ex. subcutaneous
trans
across, beyond, through
ex. transplant
–blast
- to sprout, to make, to bud
ex. chloroblast
–clast
to break, broken
ex. osteoclast
–crine
- to release, to secrete
ex. endocrine
amphi-, ampho
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
ana-, an
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
anti
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
apo
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)
cata
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
dia
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
en-, em
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
pro
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
syn-, sym
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
-ia
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
-iasis
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
-ikos
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
-ismos
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)
-isties
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
-itis
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
-ize
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
-ma, -ema, -oma
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
-oid
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)
-sis, -osis
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
-ase
denotes a colloid enzyme
ex. amyl-ase-a starch splitting enzyme (amylon-starch)
lip-ase-a fat splitting enzyme (lipos-fat)
-ate
indicates a salt of a base
ex. phosph-ate-a salt of phosphoric acid
sulph-ate-a salt of sulphuric acid
-ide
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
-in
-a termination noting a glucoside
ex. fibr-in (L. fibra-fiber)
gelat-in (L. gelatum-congealed)
prote-in (Gr. pr6tos-first)
-ine
an ending used in the names of alkaloids
ex. hero-ine-alkaloidal ester of morphine
morph-ine-alkaloid of opium
-ite
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
allo
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
brady
slow
ex. brady-cardia-abnormal slowness of the heart beat
brady-pnea-abnormal slowness of respiration
caco
bad
ex. cac-hexia-bad habit, lack of nutrition, and wasting
cac-idrosis-morbid sweating
crypto
secret, hidden
ex. crypto-genic-of hidden, obscure origin
crypt-orchid-hidden, undescended testis
ecto
outside
ex. ecto-derm-outer side of the skin
ecto-plasm-moulded on the outer side, the outer side of the cytoplasm
erythro
red
ex. erythro-cyte-red cell, red corpuscle
erythr-edema-red swelling
hemi
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
hetero
other, different, opposite
ex. hetero-plasty-surgical grafting with tissue derived from another individual
hetero-tonia-different, variable tension
homeo
similar
ex. homeo-pathy-a special system of therapeutics
homeo-stasis–condition of bodily equilibrium; literally “standing still”
homo
the same
ex. homo-lateral-on or relatiftg to the same side
homo-sexual-having attraction for the same sex
idio
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
leuco
white
ex. leuco-cyte-white cell, white blood corpuscle
leuco-rrhea-white discharge
macro
long, large
ex. macro-cephalic-having a large head
macro-glossia-enlargement of the tongue
mega-, megal-
great, large
ex. mega-colon-dilatation of the large intestine
megalo-mania-delusion of grandeur
melan
black
ex. melan-cholia-black bile, a depressed emotional state
melano-sarcoma-a deeply pigmented sarcoma
meso
middle
ex. mes-encephalon-midbrain
mes-entery-middle intestine
micro
small
ex. micro-be (mikros+bios)-small living thing
micro-scope-a viewer of small things
mono
alone, single
ex. mono-nuclear-having a single nucleus
mono-plegia-paralysis of one limb
neo
new, recent, young
ex. neo-natal-relating to the period immediately succeeding birth
neo-plasm-new growth
oligo
little, few
ex. oligo-phrenia-mental weakness, feeblemindedness
oligo-pnea-infrequent respiration
oxy
sharp, acid
ex. oxy-gen-a gaseous element present in acids
oxy-lallia-rapid speech
paleo
ancient
ex. paleo-genesis-hereditary transmission of peculiarities
paleo-pathology-study of diseases of the prehistoric times
pan
all, entire
ex. pan-creas-all flesh, the pancreas gland
pan-demic-a disease attacking all
polio
grey
ex. polio-encephalitis-inflammation of the grey matter of the brain
polio-myelitis-inflammation of the grey matter of the spinal cord
poly
much, many
ex. poly-pus-many feet
poly-uria-excessive urination
proto
proto-plasm-first formed, living matter
proto-type-first form, primitive form
pseudo
false, spurious
ex. pseudo-cele-false cavity, the 5th ventricle of the brain
pseudo-cyesis-false pregnancy
tachy
fast
ex. tachy-cardia—quick heart, rapid action of the heart
tachy-pnea-rapid breathing
xantho
yellow
ex. xantho-derm-yellow skin
xanth-opsia-yellow vision
