Prefixes

Question 1

endo-, ento-

Answer 1

(end-, ent- before a vowel): within

Examples:

endo-genous endo-metritis endo-cardium
ento-cele end-odontics ent-optic

Question 2

prefix

Answer 2

Prefixes modify or qualify in some way the meaning of the word to which they are affixed. It is often difficult to assign a single specific meaning to each prefix, and often it is necessary to adapt a meaning that fits the particular use of a word. A complete list of prefixes is found in Appendix B.

Question 3

a-

Answer 3

(an- before a vowel or h): not, without, lacking, defi- cient:
a-biogenesis a-sthenia cardi-a-sthenia an-algesia
an-hydrous an-hidrosis

Question 4

anti-

Answer 4

(ant- often before a vowel or h; hyphenated before i):

against, opposed to, preventing, relieving:

anti-biotic

anti-retroviral

anti-histamine

anti-septic

anti-toxin

ant-acid

Question 5

di-

Answer 5

(rarely dis-): two, twice, double:

di-phonia

di-ataxia

di-plegia

dis-diaclast

Question 6

dys-

Answer 6

difficult, painful, defective, abnormal:
dys-menorrhea

dys-pnea

dys-ostosis

dys-pepsia

dys-genesis

dys-trophy

Question 7

ec-

Answer 7

(ex- before a vowel): out of, away from:

ec-tasis

ex-encephalia

ec-topic

ex-ophthalmos

The prefix ex- in most words is derived from Latin: excrete, exhale, extensor, exudate, and so forth.

Question 8

ecto-

Answer 8

(ect- often before a vowel): outside of:

ecto-derm

ecto-plasm

ecto-cornea

ect-ostosis

Question 9

en-

Answer 9

(em- before b, m, and p): in, into, within:

en-cephalitis
em-metropia
em-bolism
em-physema

Question 10

endo-, ento-

Answer 10

(end-, ent- before a vowel): within:

endo-genous 
endo-metritis
endo-cardium 
ento-cele 
end-odontics 
ent-optic

Question 11

epi-

Answer 11

(ep- before a vowel or h): upon, over, above:

epi-cardium
epi-demic
epi-dermis
ep-encephalon

Question 12

exo-

Answer 12

outside, from the outside, toward the outside:

exo-cardia
exo-genous
exo-crine
exo-thermal

Question 13

hemi-

Answer 13

half, partial; (often) one side of the body:

hemi-cardia
hemi-paralysis
hemi-plegia
hemi-gastrectomy

Question 14

hyper-

Answer 14

over, above, excessive, beyond normal:

hyper-hidrosis
hyper-lipemia
hyper-glycemia
hyper-parathyroidism

Question 15

hypo-

Answer 15

(hyp- before a vowel or h): under, deficient, below normal:

hypo-chondria
hyp-algesia
hypo-dermic
hyp-acousia

Question 16

mono-

Answer 16

(mon- before a vowel or h): one, single:

mono-blast
mono-chromatic
mon-ocular
mono-neuritis

Question 17

peri-

Answer 17

around, surrounding:

peri-angiitis
peri-laryngitis
peri-cardiac
peri-odontology

Question 18

syn-

Answer 18

(sym- before b, p, and m; the n assimilates or is dropped before s): together, with, joined:

syn-apse 
syn-thetic 
sym-biosis 
sym-pathy 
sym-melia 
sy-stolic

Question 19

Note that words can have more than one prefix and that a prefix can follow a combining form:

Answer 19

hyper-exo-phoria
cardi-ec-tomy
cardi-a-sthenia
dys-anti-graphia