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Medical Terminology Prefixes > Prefixes > Flashcards

Prefixes Flashcards

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USMLE® Step 1 flashcards
1
Q

a-

A

without, not, no

apnea (without breathing)

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2
Q

ab-

A

from, away from

aberrant (wandering away from)

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3
Q

ad-

A

toward, increase

adduct (movement toward the midline of the body)

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4
Q

alb-

A

white

albino (person who has a marked deficiency of pigment
in the eyes, hair, and skin; has abnormally white skin)

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5
Q

albin/o

A

white

albinism (condition of abnormally white skin; characterized
by absence of pigment in the skin, hair, and
eyes)

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6
Q

ambi-

A

both, both sides

ambidextrous (able to use both hands well)

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7
Q

an-

A

without, not, no

anesthesia (without feeling)

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8
Q

ante-

A

before, in front

antecubital (“the space” in front of the elbow)

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9
Q

anti-

A

against

antidote (a drug or other substance that opposes
[works against] the action of a poison)

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10
Q

auto-

A

self

autograft (a graft transferred from one part of a
patient’s body to another)

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11
Q

bi-

A

two, double

bicuspid (having two cusps or points)

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12
Q

bio-

A

life

biology (the study of life)

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13
Q

brady-

A

slow

bradycardia (slow heartbeat)

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14
Q

chlor/o

A

green

chlorophyll (green pigment in plants that accomplishes
photosynthesis)

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15
Q

circum-

A

around

circumduction (movement around in a circle)

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16
Q

cirrh/o

A

yellow, tawny

cirrhosis (chronic degenerative liver disease with resultant
yellowness of the liver and skin)

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17
Q

con-

A

together, with

congenital (born with)

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18
Q

contra-

A

against

contraindication (against what is indicated)

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19
Q

cyan/o

A

blue

cyanoderma (slightly bluish, grayish, slatelike, or dark
discoloration of the skin)

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20
Q

de-

A

down, from

descend (to come down from)

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21
Q

dia-

A

through

diagnosis (knowledge through testing)

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22
Q

dis-

A

free of, to undo

dislocation (the displacement [undoing] of any part of
the body from its normal position)

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23
Q

dys

A

bad, difficult, painful,
disordered

dyspnea (difficult breathing)

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24
Q

ecto-

A

outside

ectopic (outside its normal location—as in an ectopic
pregnancy, which occurs in the fallopian tubes instead
of the uterus)

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25
Q

endo-

A

within, inner

endoscope (instrument used to look inside the body)

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26
Q

eosin/o

A

red, rosy

eosinophil (bilobed leukocyte that stains a red, rosy
color with an acid dye)

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27
Q

epi-

A

upon, over

epigastric (pertaining to the region over the stomach)

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28
Q

erythr/o

A

red

erythrocyte (mature red blood cell)

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29
Q

eu-

A

well, easily, good,
normal

eupnea (normal breathing)

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30
Q

ex-

A

out, away from, outside

exhale (to breathe out)

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31
Q

exo-

A

outside, outward

exogenous (originating outside the body)

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32
Q

extra-

A

outside, beyond

extrahepatic (outside of the liver)

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33
Q

glauc/o

A

gray, silver

glaucoma (disorder of the eye due to increased intraocular
pressure; creates a dull gray gleam of the affected eye)

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34
Q

hemi-

A

half hemiplegia (paralysis of one side [half] of the body)

35
Q

hetero-

A

different

heterogeneous (composed of different or unlike substances)

36
Q

homeo-

A

likeness, same homeostasis (a relative constancy [likeness] in the internal
environment of the body)

37
Q

homo-

A

same

homogenesis (having the same origins)

38
Q

hydro-

A 
water hydrocephalus (an abnormal accumulation of fluid
[water] within the head)
39
Q

hyp-

A

under, below,
beneath, less than
normal

hypoxemia (less than normal blood oxygen level)

40
Q

hyper-

A

excessive

hyperemesis (excessive vomiting)

41
Q

hypo-

A

under, below, beneath,
less than normal

hypoglycemia (less than normal blood sugar; low blood
sugar level)

42
Q

idio-

A

individual

idiosyncrasy (an individual sensitivity to effects of a
drug caused by inherited or other bodily constitution
factors)

43
Q

im-

A

not

impotence (an adult male’s inability [not able] to
achieve penile erection)

44
Q

in-

A

in, inside, within, not incompetent (not capable)

inborn (acquired during intrauterine life)

45
Q

infra-

A

beneath, below, under

infraorbital (beneath the bony cavity in which the eyeball
is located)

46
Q

inter-

A

between

intercostal (between the ribs)

47
Q

intra-

A

within

intravenous (within a vein)

48
Q

jaund/o

A

yellow

jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin)

49
Q

juxta-

A

near, beside

juxtaarticular (pertaining to a location near a joint)

50
Q

leuk/o

A

white

leukoplakia (white, hard, thickened patches firmly
attached to the mucous membrane in areas such as the
mouth, vulva, or penis)

51
Q

melan/o

A

black

melanoma (a darkly pigmented cancerous tumor)

52
Q

meso-

A

middle

mesoderm (the middle of the three layers of the skin)

53
Q

meta-

A

beyond, after

metacarpals (pertaining to the bones after the carpal
[wrist] bones; i.e., the hand bones)

54
Q

milli-

A

one-thousandth

milliliter (one-thousandth of a liter)

55
Q

mono-

A

one

monocyte (a white cell with a singular nucleus)

56
Q

multi-

A

many

multipara (to bear many “children”)

57
Q

non-

A

not

noninvasive (pertaining to a diagnostic or therapeutic
technique that does not require the skin to be broken
[not invaded] or a cavity or organ to be entered)

58
Q

pan-

A

all

pancarditis (inflammation of the entire heart [all])

59
Q

para-

A

near, beside, beyond,
two like parts

paracervical (near, or beside, the cervix)

60
Q

per-

A

through

percussion (striking through)

61
Q

peri-

A

around

perianal (around the anus)

62
Q

poli/o

A

gray

poliomyelitis (inflammation of the gray matter of the
spinal cord)

63
Q

poly-

A

many, much, excessive

polyarthritis (inflammation of many joints)
polyuria (the excretion of large amounts of [much]
urine)

64
Q

post-

A

after, behind

postcibal (after meals)

65
Q

pre-

A

before, in front

precordial (the region “of the chest wall” in front of the
heart)

66
Q

primi-

A

first

primigravida (first pregnancy)

67
Q

pseudo-

A

false

pseudoanorexia (“false anorexia”; a condition in which
an individual eats secretly while claiming a lack of
appetite and inability to eat)

68
Q

purpur/o

A

purple

purpura (collection of blood beneath the skin in the
form of pinpoint hemorrhages appearing as red/purple
skin discolorations)

69
Q

quadri-

A

four

quadriplegia (paralysis of all four extremities)

70
Q

re-

A

back, again

reactivate (to make active again)

71
Q

retro-

A

backward, behind

retrocecal (pertaining to the region behind the cecum)

72
Q

rube-

A

red

rubella (a contagious viral disease characterized by
fever, coldlike symptoms, and a diffuse, fine red rash
[also German measles])

73
Q

semi-

A

half

semiconscious (half conscious)

74
Q

sub-

A

under, below

subcutaneous (under the skin)

75
Q

supra-

A

above, over

suprapubic (above, or over, the pubic area)

76
Q

sym-

A

joined, together

sympathetic (displaying compassion for another’s grief;
literally, “joined in disease”)

77
Q

syn-

A

joined, together

syndrome (a group of symptoms joined by a common
cause; “running together”)

78
Q

tachy-

A

rapid

tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)

79
Q

trans-

A

across, through

transurethral (across, or through, the urethra)

80
Q

tri-

A

three

triceps (“a muscle” having three heads)

81
Q

Ultra-

A

beyond, excess

ultrasound (sound waves at the very high frequency of
more than 20,000 vibrations per second)

82
Q

uni-

A

one

uninuclear (“a cell” having one nucleus)

83
Q

xanth/o

A

yellow

xanthoderma (any yellow coloration of the skin)

Medical Terminology Prefixes (1 decks)

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