Prefixes #1 Flashcards
Hypo-
Under, below, deficient
hypo/derm-ic (hi-po-DER-mik: pertaining to under the skin
derm: skin
Hypodermic injections are given under the skin.
Epi-
Above, upon
Epi/gastr/ic (ep-i-GAS-trik): pertaining to above the stomach
gastr: stomach
-ic: pertaining to
Infra-
Under, below
Infra/costal/al (in-far-KOS-tal): below the ribs
costal: ribs
-al: pertaining to
Sub-
Under, below
Sub/nas/al (sub-NA-sal): under the nose
nas: nose
-al: pertaining to,
Inter-
Between
Inter/cos/al (in-ter-KOS-tal): between the ribs
cost: ribs
-al: pertaining to
Post-
After, behind
post/nat/al (post-NA-tal): pertaining to (the period) after birth
Nat; birth
-al: pertaining to
Pre-, Pro-
Before, in front of
Pre/nat/al (pre-NA-tal): pertaining to (the period) before birth
Nat: birth
-al: pertaining to
Pro/gnosis (prog-NO-sis): knowing before
-gnosis: knowing
Prognosis is the prediction of the course and end of a disease and the estimated chance of recovery.
Retro-
Backward, behind
Retro/version (ret-ro-VER-shun): turning backwards
-version: turning
Retroversion refers to tipping backwards of an organ (such as the uterus) from its normal position
Bi-
Two
Bi/later/al (bi-LAT-er-al): pertaining to two sides
Later: side
-al: pertaining to
Dipl-, diplo-
Double
Dipl/opia (dip-LO-pe-a): double vision
-opia: vision
Diplo/bacteria/al (dip-lo-bak-TER-e-al): bacteria linked together in pairs
Bacteri: bacteria
-al pertaining to
Diplobacteria produce in such a manner that they are joined together in pairs.
Hemi-
One half
Hemi/plegia (hem-e-PLE-je-a): paralysis if one half of the body
-plegia: paralysis
Hyper-
Excessive, above normal
Hyper/calc/emia (hi-per-kal-SE-me-a): excessive calcium in the blood
Calc: calcium
-emia: blood condition
Macro-
Large
Macro/cyte (MAK-ro-sit): large cell
-cyte: cell
Micro-
Small
Micro/scope (MI-kro-skop): instrument for examining small (objects)
-scope: instrument for examining
The microscope is an optical instrument that greatly magnifies minute objects.
Mono-, Uni-
One
Mono/therapy (MON-o-ther-a-pe): one treatment
-therapy: treatment
An example of mono therapy is treatment using only a single drug or a single treatment modality.
Uni/nucle/ar (u-ni-NU-kle-ar): pertaining to one nucleus
Nucle: nucleus
-ar: pertaining to
Multi-, Poly-
Many, much
Multiple/gravida (mul-ti-GRAV-i-da): woman who has been pregnant more than once
-gravida: pregnant woman
Poly/phobia (pol-e-FO-be-a): fear of many things
-phobia: fear
Primi-
First
Primi/gravida (pri-mi-GRAV-i-da): woman during her first pregnancy
-gravida: pregnant woman
Quadri-
Four
Quadri/plegia (kwod-ri-PLE-je-a): paralysis in four limbs
-plegia: paralysis
Tri-
Three
Tri/ceps (TRI-ceps): three heads
-ceps: head
Triceps describes a muscle arising by three heads with a single insertion, as the triceps brachii of the posterior arm
Ab-
From, away from
Ab/duction (ab-DUK-shun): movement of a limb away from (an axis of) the body
-duction: act of leading, bringing, conducting
Ad-
Toward
Ad/duction (a-DUK-shun): movement of a limd toward (an axis of) the body
-duction: act of leading, bringing, conducting
Circum-, Peri-
Around
Circum/ren/al (ser-kum-RE-nal): pertains to around the kidney
Ren: kidney
-al: pertaining to
Peri/odont/al (per-e-o-DON-tal): pertaining to around a tooth
Odont: teeth
-al: pertaining to
Día-, Trans-
Through, across Dia/rrhea (di-a-Re-a): flow through -rrhea: discharge, flow Thrans/vagina/al (trans-VAJ-in-al): overstating to across or through the vagina Vagin: vagina -al: pertaining to
Ecto-, Exo-, Extra-
Outside, outward
Ecto/gen/ous (ek-TOJ-e-nus): forming outside the body or structure
Gen: forming , producing , origin
-ous: pertaining to,
An ectogenous infection is one that originates outside of the body.
Exo/tropia (eks-o-TRO-pe-a): Turing outward (of one or both eyes)
-tropia: turning
Extra/crani/al (eks-tra-KRA-ne-al): outside the skull
Crani: cranium (skull)
-al: pertaining to
Endo-, Intra-
In, within
Endo/crine (EN-do–krin): secrete within
-crine: secrete
Endocrine describes a gland that secretes directly into the bloodstream.
Intra/muscular/ar (in-tra-MUS-ku-lar): withing the muscle
Muscul: muscle
-ar: pertaining to
Para-*
Near, beside; beyond
Para/nas/al (par-a-NA-sal): beside the nose
Nas: nose
-al: pertaining to
Super-
Upper, above
Super/ior (soo-PE-re-or): pertaining to the upper part of a structure
-ior: pertaining to
Supra-
Above; excessive; superior
Supra/ren/al (soo-pra-RE-nal): pertaining to above the kidney
Ren: kidney
-al: pertaining to
Ultra-
Excessive, beyond
Ultra/son/ic (ul-tra-SON-ik): pertaining to sound beyond (that which can be heard by the human ear)
Son: sound
-ic: pertaining to
A-*, An-**
Without, not
A/mast/ia (a-MAS-te-a): without a breast
Mast: breast
-ia: condition
Amastia may be the result of a congenital defect, an endocrine disorder, or mastery.
An/esthesia (an-es-THE-ze-a): without feeling
-esthesia: feeling
Anesthesia may be a partial or complete loss of sensation with or wthuout loss of consciousness
Anti-, Contra-
Against
Anti/bacteri/al (an-ti-bak-TER-e-al): against bacteria
Bacteria: bacteria
-al: pertaining to
Antibacterials are substances that kill bacteria or inhibit their growth or replication.
Contra/ception (kon-tra-SEP-shun): against conception or impregnation
-ception: conceiving
Contraceptive techniques prevent pregnancy by means of medication, a device, or a method that blocks or alters one or more of the processes of reproduction.
Brady-
Slow
Brady/cardia (brad-e-KAR-de-a): slow heart rate
-cardia: heart
Dys-
Bad; painful; dificult
Dys/tocia (dis-TO-se-a): difficult childbirth
-tocia: childbirth, labor
Eu-
Good, normal
Eu/pnea (up-NE-a): normal breathing
-pnea: breathing
Hetero-
Different
Hetero/graft (HET-e-to-graft): different transplants
-graft: transplantation
A heterograft, also called a xenograft, is a transplant of tissue from another species that is used as a temporary graft in certain cases, as in treating a severely burned patient when tissue from the patient or from a tissue bank is not available.
Homo-, Homeo-
Same
Homo/graft (HO-mo-graft): same transplant
-graft: transplantation
A homograft, also called an allograft, is a transplant of tissue obtained from a member of the patient’s own species. Commonly transplanted organs include bone, kidney, lung, and heart. Recipients take immunosuppressive drugs to prevent tissue rejection
Homeo/plasia (ho-me-o-PLA-ze-a): formation of new tissue similar to that already existing in a part
-plasia: formation, growth
Mal-
Bad
Mal/nutrition (mal-nu-TRI-shun): bad nutrition
Malnutrition refers to any disorder resulting from an inadequate or excessive intake of food.
Pan-
All
Pan/arthr/itis (pan-ar-THRI-tis): inflammation off all (or many) joints
Arthr: joint
-itis: immnfkammation
Syn-***
Union, together, joined
Syn/dactyl/ism (sin-DAK-til-izm): condition of joined fingers or toes
Dactyl: fingers; toes
-ism: condition
Syndactylism varies in degree of severity from incomplete webbing of the skin of two digits to complete union of digits and fusion of the bones and nails.
Tachy-
Rapid
Tachy/pnea (tak-ip-NE-a): rapid breathing
-pnea: breathing
