Medical prefixes and suffixes Flashcards
a-, an-
not, without
Greek (ἀ-/ἀν): not, without
analgesic, apathy
ab-
from; away from
Latin
abduction
abdomin-
of or relating to the abdomen
Latin (abdōmen): fat around the belly
abdominal
-ac
pertaining to; one afflicted with
Greek (ακός)
cardiac, hydrophobiac
acanth-
thorn or spine
Greek (ἄκανθα): thorn
acanthion (porcupine), acanthocyte, acanthoma
acou-
of or related to hearing
Greek (ἀκούειν, ἀκουστικός): of or for hearing
acoustician, hyperacusis
acr-
extremity, topmost
Greek (ἄκρον): highest or farthest point
acromegaly, acroosteolysis
-ad
toward, in the direction of
Latin (ad): toward, to
dorsad, ventrad
ad-
at, increase, on, toward
Latin (ad-): to
adduction
aden-
of or relating to a gland
Greek (ἀδήν, ἀδέν): an acorn; a gland
adenocarcinoma, adenology
adip-
of or relating to fat or fatty tissue
Latin (adeps, adip-): fat
adipocyte
adren-
of or relating to the adrenal glands
Latin (ad + rēnēs): kidneys
adrenal artery
-aemia
blood condition
Greek (ἀναιμία)
aneamia
are(o)-
air, gas
Greek (ἀήρ, ἀέρος)
aerosinusitis
aesthesi-
sensation
Greek (αἴσθησις)
anaesthesia
-al
pertaining to
Latin (-alis)
abdominal, femoral
alb-
denoting a white or pale color
Latin (albus): white
albino
alge(si-), algia, alg(i)o-
pain
Greek (ἄλγος)
analgesic, myalgia
all-
denoting something as different, or as an addition
Greek (ἄλλος): another, other
alloantigen
ambi-
denoting something as positioned on both sides; describing both of two
Latin (amibi-, ambo): both, on both sides
ambidextrous
amnio-
pertaining to the membranous fetal sac (amnion)
Greek (ἄμνιον)
aminocentesis
amph(i)-
on both sides
Greek (ἀμφί)
amphismela
amylo-
starchy, carbohydrate-related
Latin (amylum): starch
amylase, amylophagia
ana-
back, again, up
Greek (ἀνα-)
anabiosis, anadromous
andr-
pertaining to a man
Greek (ἀνήρ): male
andriod, androgen
angi-
blood vessel
Greek (ἀγγεῖον)
angiogram, angioplasty
aniso-
describing something as unequal
Greek (ἄνῑσος): unequal
anisocytosis, anisotropic
ankyl-, ancyl-
denoting something as crooked or bent
Greek (ἀγκύλος): crooked, curved
ante-
describing something as positioned in front of another thing
Latin (āntē): before, in front of
antepartum
anti-
describing something as “against” or “opposed to” another
Greek (αντι): against
antibody, antipsychotic
apo-
away, separated from, derived from
Greek (ἀπό)
apoptosis
archi-
first, primitive
Greek (ἀρχι-)
archinephron
arsen(o)-
of or pertaining to a male; masculine
Greek (αρσενικός)
arsenoblast
arteri(o)-
of or pertaining to an artery
Greek (ἀρτηρία): a wind-pipe, artery (used distinctly versus a vein)
arteriole, artery
anthr-
of or pertaining to the joints, limbs
Greek (ἄρθρον): a joint, limb
arthritis
articul-
joint
Latin (articulus)
articulation
-ary
pertaining to
Latin (-arius)
biliary, coronary
-ase
enzyme
Greek (δια- [part, apart] + στάσις [stand]: division
lactase
-asthenia
weakness
Greek (ἀσθένεια): lack of strength, disease
neurasthenia
atel(o)-
imperfect or incomplete development
Greek (ἀτελής): without end, incomplete
atelocardia
ather-
fatty deposit, soft gruel-like deposit
Greek (ἀθάρη)
atherosclerosis
-ation
process
Latin
medication
atri-
an atrium (esp. heart atrium)
Latin
atrioventricular
aur-
of or pertaining to the ear
Latin (auris): the ear
aural
aut-
self
Greek (αὐτός)
autoimmune
aux(o)-
increase; growth
Greek (αὐξάνω, αὔξω)
auxocardia (enlargement of the heart), auxology
axill-
of or pertaining to the armpit (more common: axilla–armpit
Latin (axilla): armpit
axilla
azo(to)-
nitrogenous compound
French (azote): nitrogen. From the Greek (ά + ζωτικός): without + life, or mephitic air
azothermia: raised temperature due to nitrogenous substances in the blood
bacillus
rod-shaped
Latin (baculus): stick
bacillus anthracis
bacteri-
pertaining to bacteria
Latin (bacterium); Greek (βακτήριον): small staff
bacteriophage
balan-
of the glans penis, or glans clitoridis
Greek (βάλανος): acorn, glans
balanitis
bas-
of or pertaining to a base
Greek (βάσις): foundation, base
basolateral
bi-
twice, double
Latin bi-
binary vision
bio-
life
Greek (βίος): life
biology
blast-
germ or bid
Greek (βλαστός)
blastomere
blephar(o)-
of or pertaining to the eyelid
Greek (βλέφαρον): eyelid
blepharoplasty
brachi(o)-
of or relating to the arm
Latin (bracchium); Greek (βραχίων): arm
brachium of inferior colliculus
brachy-
indicating “short”, or less commonly “little”
Greek (βραχύς): short, little, shallow
brachycephalic
brady-
slow
Greek (βραδύς): slow
bradycardia
bronch(i)-
of or relating to the bronchus
Latin (bronchus); Greek (βρόγχος): windpipe
bronchitis
bucc(o)-
of or pertaining to the cheek
Latin (bucca): cheek
buccolabial
burs(o)-
bursa (fluid sac between the bones)
Latin (bursa): purse; Greek (βύρσα): hide, wine-skin
bursa, bursitis
capill-
of or pertaining to hair
Latin (capillus): hair
capit-
pertaining to the head as a whole
Latin (caput, capit-): the head
carcin-
cancer
Greek (καρκίνος): crab
carcinoma
cardi-
of or pertaining to the heart
Greek (καρδία): heart
cardiology
carp-
of or pertaining to the wrist
Latin (carpus); Greek (καρπός): wrist
Note: not to be confused with the mirror root carp(o)- meaning fruit
carpopedal spasm
cata-
down, under
Greek (κατά)
cataract, catabolism
-cele
pouching, hernia
Greek (κήλη)
hydrocele, varicocele
-centesis
surgical puncture for aspiration
Greek (κέντησις)
amniocentesis
cephal(o)-
of or pertaining to the head (as a whole)
Greek (κεφαλή): the head
cephalagy, hydrocephalus
cerat(o)-
of or pertaining to the cornu (a type of horn)
Greek (κέρας): a horn
ceratoid
cerebell(o)-
of or pertaining to the cerebellum
Latin (cerebellum): little brain
cerebr-
of or pertaining to the brain
Latin (cerebrum): brain
cerebrology
cervic-
of or pertaining to the neck or cervix
Latin (cervix): neck, cervix
cervicodorsal, cervical vertebrae
cheil-
of or pertaining to the lips
Greek (χεῖλος): lip, mouth, beak
angular cheilitis
chem-
chemistry, drug
Greek (χημεία)
chemotherapy
chir-, cheir-
of or pertaining to the hand
Greek (χείρ, χειρο-): hand
chiropractor
chlor-
denoting a green color
Greek (χλωρός): green, yellow-green
chlorophyll
chol(e)-
of or pertaining to bile
Greek (χολή): bile
cholaemia (UK) / cholemia (US)
cholecyst(o)-
of or pertaining to the gallbladder
Greek (χολη + κύστις): bile, gall + bladder
cholecystectomy
chondr(i)o-
cartilage, gristle, granule, granular
Greek (χονδρός)
chondrocalcinosis