Prefixes Flashcards
Learn basic vet terminology
A-, an-
Without, lack of, not
Afebrile (without fever)
Anemia (lack of blood)
Ab-
Away from
Abductor (leading away from)
Aboral (away from mouth)
Ad-
Toward, to, near
Adductor (leading toward)
Adrenal (near the kidney)
Ambi-, amphi-, ampho-
Both
Ambidextrous (ability to use both hands equally)
Amphoteric (both acid and base)
Amphibious (living both on land and in water)
Ana-
Up, toward, apart
Anatomy (to cut apart)
Anabolism (building up)
Ante-
Before, in front of, forward
Antenatal (before birth)
Antemortem (before death)
Anti-
Against, opposing
Antisepsis (against infection)
Antibiotic (against microbial life)
Apo-
Separation from, derived from
Apocrine (secretion containing cell parts
Apomorphine (drug derived from morphine)
Auto-
Self
Autogenous (self-generating)
Autolysis (self-dissolving)
Bi-
Two, double, twice
Biceps (muscle with two heads)
Bifurcate (divide into two branches)
Cata-
Down, under, lower, against
Catabolism (breaking down)
Catalepsy (reduced movement)
Circum-
Around
Circumflex (winding around)
Circumanal (surrounding the anus)
Co-, com-, con-
Co- before a vowel
Com- before b, m, and p
With, together
Commissure (coming together)
Conductor (leading together)
Contra-
Opposed, against
Contralateral (opposite side)
Contraception (prevention of conception)
De-
Reverse, remove
Dehydrate (remove water from)
Defibrillate (stop fibrillation)
Di-
Two, twice
Diphasic (having two stages)
Dichromic (having two colors)
Dia-
Between, through, apart, across, completely
Diapedesis (ooze through)
Diaphragm (wall across)
Diagnosis (complete knowledge)
Dis-
Apart from, free from
Disinfection (to free from infection)
Dissect (cut apart)
Disarticulation (separation at a joint)
Dys-
Difficult, painful, abnormal
Dyspnea (difficult breathing)
Dyscrasia (abnormal condition)
Dysuria (difficult or painful urination)
E-, ec-, ex-
Out of, from, away from
Enucleate (remove whole from)
Ectopic (out of place)
Exostosis (outgrowth of bone)
Ecto-, exo-
Outer, outside, situated on
Ectoderm (outer skin
Ectoparasite (organism living on the outside)
Exogenous (originating outside)
Em-, en-
Em- before b, m, and p
In
Empyema (pus in)
Enzootic (in a population of animals)
Endo-
Within, inner
Endogenous (originating inside)
Endoplasm (inner portion of cytoplasm)
Endoderm (inner cell layer)
Ep-, epi-
Upon, on, over, above
Epicostal (upon a rib)
Epidermis (outer skin layer)
Eu-
Normal, good, well, healthy
Eupnea (normal breathing)
Euthanasia (inducing death painlessly)
Extra-
Outside of, beyond
Extracellular (outside the cells)
Extraocular (outside the eye)
Hemi-
Half
Hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body)
Hemisphere (half of a sphere or globe)
Hyper-
Excessive, above, beyond
Hyperactive (overactive)
Hyperesthesia (excessive sensitivity)
Hyp-, hypo-
Under, deficient, beneath
Hypoxia (reduced oxygen)
Hypothyroidism (deficiency of thyroid activity)
Im-, in-
Im- before b, m, and p
In, into, within, not
Implant (insert into)
Injection (forcing fluid into)
Immature (not mature)
Involuntary (not voluntary)
Infra-
Below, beneath
Infraorbital (beneath eye)
Infrastructure (underlying support system)
Inter-
Between
Intercostal (between ribs)
Internodal (between nodes)
Intra-
Within
Intracardiac (within heart)
Intraocular (within the eye)
Intro-
Into, within
Introversion (turning inward)
Introduce (lead into)
Mes-, meso-
Middle
Mesencephalon (midbrain)
Mesoderm (middle cell layer)
Meta-
Change, beyond, after
Metacarpus (bone beyond the carpus)
Metamorphosis (change shape or structure)
Micr-, micro-
Small
Microphthalmos (abnormally small eye)
Microbe (minute organism)
Mult-, multi-
Many
Multiangular (many angles)
Multiform (many shapes)
Neo-
New, recent
Neoplastic (new tissue growth)
Neonatal (newborn)
Pan-
All, entire
Panacea (cure-all)
Panzootic (throughout an animal population)
Para-
Beside, beyond
Paravertebral (beside the vertebrae)
Paranormal (beyond scientific explanation)
Per-
Through, excessive
Permeable (may pass through)
Peracute (excessively sharp)
Peri-
Around
Periosteum (around bone)
Peribulbar (around eye bulb)
Poly-
Many, much, excessive
Polycystic (many cysts)
Polydipsia (excessive thirst)
Post-
After, behind
Postoperative (after surgery)
Postorbital (behind the eye)
Pre-, pro-
Before, in front of
Prenatal (before birth)
Project (throw forward)
Pseudo-
False
Pseudoparasite (false parasite)
Pseudocyesis (false pregnancy)
Re-
Again, backward
Reflex (bend back)
Regurgitation (vomiting)
Retro-
Backward, behind
Retrograde (going backward)
Retroperitoneal (behind peritoneum)
Semi-
Half, partial
Semilunar (half-moon shaped)
Semipermeable (partly permeable)
Sub-
Under, beneath
Subcutaneous (under the skin)
Sublingual (beneath the tongue)
Super-, supra-
Above, superior, excess
Supernumerary (excessive number)
Suprarenal (above kidneys)
Sym-, syn
Sym- before b, m, p, and ph
Together, with
Symbiosis (two organisms living in close association)
Syndactyly (fusion of digits)
Trans-
Across, through
Transection (cut across)
Transfix (to pierce across)
Ultra-
Beyond, excess
Ultravirus (very small virus)
Ultrasonic (beyond upper limit of hearing)
