Prefixes and suffixes

Question 1

A-

Answer 1

Without or not - Avascular

Question 2

Allo-:

Answer 2

other or different (Greek). Changes in body proportions occur as a result of allometric growth, i.e., different body parts growing at different rates.

Question 3

Ante-:

Answer 3

before, ahead of, preceding, or in front of (Latin). Antemortem injuries occur before the death of the individual.

Question 4

Anti-:

Answer 4

: opposite or against (Greek, contrasts with pro-). Because of lateral symmetry, each right bone has a left antimere.

Question 5

Apo-:

Answer 5

separate, apart, away from, or detached (Greek). Secondary growth centers at sites of muscular insertions are called apophyses, or traction epiphyses.

Question 6

Basi-:

Answer 6

of, or relating to the bottom or base (Latin, basis, base, pedestal). The bottom of the cranium is referred to as the basicranium.

Question 7

Bi-

Answer 7

twice, double, on both sides, in both directions, between both (Latin, see also di-). The osteometric measurement ‘bi-iliac breadth’ is often used as a proxy (or surrogate) for body width.

Question 8

Brachi-, brachio-, or -brachial:

Answer 8

of, or relating to the arm, specifically the upper arm (Latin, brachialis, from brachium, arm). The brachioradialis muscle reaches from the humerus to
the radius. Do not confuse with brachy-

Question 9

Brachy-

Answer 9

short (Greek, brakhus, short). A cranium that is short (front-to-back) relative to its width (side-to-side) is considered to be brachycephalic. Do not confuse with brachi-.

Question 10

-cep, -ceps

Answer 10

head or heads (Latin, ceps, from caput, head). The biceps brachii muscle has two distinct heads, each originating from a different part of the scapula.

Question 11

Chondro- or -chondro

Answer 11

cartilage or cartilaginous (Greek, khondros, grain or cartilage). Chondroblasts are cartilage-forming cells.

Question 12

Circum-:

Answer 12

around (Latin). The action of swinging your arm in a large circle is called circumduction.

Question 13

Con-:

Answer 13

with or together (Latin). A disease present from birth is called a congenital disease

Question 14

Cost- or -costal

Answer 14

related to a rib or ribs (Latin, costa, rib). The ostoclavicular ligament runs between the clavicle and the first rib.

Question 15

Cyt- -cyte, or -cytic

Answer 15

a mature cell (Greek, kutos, vessel). Osteocytes are found in lacunae (small spaces in the bone in which living bone cells live), trapped by the very matrix they
have secreted.

Question 16

Demi-:

Answer 16

half (Latin). The sixth thoracic vertebra has both superior and inferior demifacets

Question 17

Di-:

Answer 17

twice or double (Greek, see also bi-). The digastric muscle is named for its two bellies

Question 18

Dia-:

Answer 18

across, through, or apart (Greek). A long bone’s diaphysis reaches from one epiphysis to the other

Question 19

Dis-

Answer 19

undoing, removal, reversal, or absence (Latin). When part of a joint is separated from the rest of the joint, it is referred to as a dislocation

Question 20

Ecto

Answer 20

outside (Greek, contrasts with endo-). Button sarcomas, small cancerous lesions, are frequently found on the ectocranial surface of the cranial vault

Question 21

Endo-:

Answer 21

inside (Greek, contrasts with ecto-). Endocranial capacity is often used as a proxy for brain size in skeletal remains.

Question 22

Epi

Answer 22

at, upon, close to, adjacent, above, or in addition (Greek). The bony endplates of a growing bone are called epiphyses.

Question 23

-form -iform

Answer 23

having the shape or form of (Latin). The piriform aperture is an opening roughly in the shape of a pear.

Question 24

Hemi-:

Answer 24

half (Greek, similar to semi-). The humeral head is only hemispheric, while the femoral head is much closer to spherical.

Question 25

Hetero-

Answer 25

other, or different (Greek, contrasts with homo-). Humans, like most mammals, have complex and differentiated teeth, a trait called heterodonty

Question 26

Homo-

Answer 26

similar, same, or identical (Greek, contrasts with Homo- hetero-). The vertebral column is made up of a set of serially homologous elements

Question 27

Hypo-

Answer 27

less than, under, beneath, below, or to a lesser degree (Greek, contrasts with Hypo- hyper-. See also sub-). The hypoglossal nerve enters the underside of the tongue.

Question 28

Hyper-

Answer 28

more than, over, beyond, above, or to a greater degree (Greek, contrasts with hypo-; see also super-). The radial tuberosity was enlarged and roughened, probably in response to a hypertrophied biceps brachii muscle

Question 29

Infra-

Answer 29

below or beneath (Latin). The Infra- infraorbital foramen opens beneath the eye socket.

Question 30

Inter

Answer 30

between. An Inter- interosseous membrane connects the shafts of the tibia and the fibula

Question 31

-itis

Answer 31

denotes an inflammatory disease (Greek). Osteitis is an inflammation of bony tissue

Question 32

Lacri-/lacry-:

Answer 32

of, belonging to, or related to tears (Latin, lacrima, “tear”). The nasolacrimal duct drains tears into the nasal cavity

Question 33

Meso-

Answer 33

intermediate, medium (Greek, Meso- mesos, middle). The mesosternum is referred to as the corpus sterni.

Question 34

Meta-

Answer 34

between or with (Greek). The metaphysis is an area of growth sandwiched between the epiphysis and the diaphysis.

Question 35

Neuro-

Answer 35

related to the brain or central nervous system (Greek, Neuro- neuron, nerve or sinew). The neurocranium is that part of the cranium that houses the brain.

Question 36

-oma -omata)

Answer 36

growth or tumor. (Latin, from Greek) An osteoma is a bone tumor

Question 37

Ortho

Answer 37

straight or upright (Greek). An animal whose trunk is kept habitually upright is Orthosaid to have orthograde posture.

Question 38

-osis:

Answer 38

designates a disease, condition, or disorder (Greek). Osteoporosis is a condition in which bone becomes less dense (i.e., more porous)

Question 39

Osteo- or -osteo-

Answer 39

of, or relating to, bones (Greek, osteon, “bone”). The study of bones is called osteology.

Question 40

Para-

Answer 40

beside, next to, or parallel to (Greek). A body has only one sagittal plane, but it may have an infinite number of parasagittal planes.

Question 41

Peri-

Answer 41

near, around, or about (Greek). The membrane that tightly covers a bone is called the periosteum.

Question 42

-physis (pl. -physes)

Answer 42

a growth, projection, or protuberance (Greek). The rear articular surfaces of vertebrae extend towards their neighbors on zygapophyses

Question 43

-phyte

Answer 43

a pathological outgrowth (Greek, phyton, “plant”). normal bony outgrowths are called osteophytes

Question 44

Platy-

Answer 44

broad and flat (Greek). Side-to-side flattening of the tibia is called platycnemia

Question 45

Pre-

Answer 45

before—with respect to location, time, degree, or importance (Latin). The vertebrae above the sacrum are referred to collectively as presacral vertebrae

Question 46

Proto-

Answer 46

first, largest, primary, most important (Greek, protos, first). The protocone dominates the other molar cusps

Question 47

Retro-:

Answer 47

having a location behind (Latin, retro, backward). Neanderthals have a retromolar sulcus behind their lower wisdom tooth

Question 48

Semi-:

Answer 48

half or partly (Latin, similar to hemi-). The semicircular canals of the middle ear house the organs of balance.

Question 49

Splanchno-

Answer 49

related to the viscera or internal organs (latinized Greek). The part of the cranium that encases the beginnings of the digestive and respiratory systems is called the splanchnocranium.

Question 50

• stitial

Answer 50

related to a place where something stands (Latin, sistere, to stand). Bone growth that happens between the epiphyses and pushes them apart is called interstitial bone growth.

Question 51

Sub-

Answer 51

under, below, beneath, or less than (Latin, see also hypo-). The subclavius muscle attaches to the underside of the clavicle.

Question 52

Super-

Answer 52

above, extra, beyond, in addition, or greater than (Latin, see also hyper-). There are usually only three molars per side and per arch. Occasionally, an additional molar will develop; these are called supernumerary molars

Question 53

Supra-

Answer 53

above, beyond, in addition (Latin, related to super-). The supraspinous fossa, as its name suggests, is a depression found above the scapular spine

Question 54

Syn-:

Answer 54

similarly, alike, or together (Latin, syn, from Greek sun, together). Cranial sutures are one kind of synarthrosis—a nearly immovable articulation—where bones are held
together by fibrous connective tissue

Question 55

-topic

Answer 55

place or usual location (Greek, -topia, from topos, place). Heterotopic ossification is a condition in which bone tissue is formed in places in the body other than the skeleton.

Question 56

• trophy

Answer 56

maintenance, nourishment (Greek, trophia, nourishment). If muscles are not used, they atrophy; if heavily used, they hypertrophy

Question 57

Tri-

Answer 57

having three parts (Latin, tri, three). The triceps brachialis muscle has three heads, each originating from a different location but all merging into a single insertion

Question 58

Zygo-

Answer 58

denoting a joining or pairing (Greek, zugon, “yoke”). There are two zygomatic bones, one at each side of the face.