Prefixes, Suffixes and Word Roots Flashcards
a-, an-
absence or lack of
ex: anaerobic
ab-
departing from; away from
ex: abscess tooth
-able
able to, capable of
-ac
referring to
ex: illiac
acou-
hearing
ex: acoustic
acr-, acro-
extreme or extremity; peak
ex: acrobat
ad-
to or toward
aden-, aden-
gland
-al
expressing relationship
-algia
pain in a certain part
ex: fibromyalgia (pain in muscles)
amphi-
on both sides; of both sides
an-
without, lack of
ana-
up, back, again
angi-, angio-
vessel
ant-, anti-
opposed to; preventing or inhibiting
ante-
preceding; before- associated with, relating to
anthr-, anthro-
joint
-ary
associated with
-atresia
imperforate (not a normal opening)
-asis
condition, state of
aut-, auto-
self
bi-
two
bio-
life
-blast
bud or germ
brady-
slow
broncho-
bronchus
bucco-
cheek
-c
expressing relationship
caput-
head
carcin-
cancer
ex: carcinoma
cardi-,cardio-
heart
ex: cardiac arrest
cata-
down,according to
ex: catabolic- breaking down food
-cele
hollow
cephal-
head
cerebro-
brain, especially the cerebrum
chol-
bile
ex: cholera
cholesyst-
gallbladder
chondr-
cartliage
-cide
destroy or kill
circum-
around
-clast
smash, break
co-,com-,con-
together
ex: come
contra-
against
ex: contradict
cost-
rib
ex: costal
crani-
skull
Ex: cranium
crypt-
hidden
cysto-
bladder or sac
-cyte
cell
cyt-,cyto-
cell
de-
undoing; reversal, loss, removal
Ex: decompose
derm-
skin
di-
twice, double
dia-
through, between, apart, across
ex: diaphram
dis-
reversal, apart from
dys-
difficult, faulty, painful
ec-,ex-,ecto-
out, outside, away from
-ectomy
cutting out, surgical removal
edem-
swell
ex: edema
em-
in
-emia
condition of the blood
en-, em-
in, inside
endo-
within
entero-
intestine
epi-
over, above
erythro-
red
eu-
well
exo-, extra
outside, beyond
-ferent
carry
-form
expressing reseblance
-fuge
driving out
-gastr
stomach
-gen
an agent that initiates
-enesis
produce, orgin
glosso-
tongue
glycol-
sugar, sweet
-gram
data that are symmetrically recorded, a record instrument used for recording data or writing
-graph
instrument used for recording data or writing
hema-, hemato-, hemo-
blood
hemi-
half
hepat-
liver
hetero-
different, other
hist-
tissue
hom-, homeo-, homo-
same
hydro-, hyd-
water
hyper-
excess
hypno-
sleep
hypo-
below, deficient
hyster-, hystero-
uterus, womb
-ia
condition
-iatr-
treat, cure
-iatrics
medical specialty
-id
condition
im-
not
in-
in, into
infra-
below
inter-
between
intra-
within, inside
iso-
equal, same
-itis
inflammation
leuko-
white
lip-, lipo-
fat, lipid
-logy
the study of
-iysis
loosening or breaking down
macro-
large
mal-
bad, abnormal
-malacia
soft
mamm-
breast
-mania
obsession, compulsion
mast-
breast
meningo-
membrane
meso-
middle
meta-
beyond, between, transition
metro-
uterus
micro-
small
mito-
thread, filament
mono-
single
morpho-
form
multi-
many
myelo-
spinal cord, marro
myo-
muscle
narco-
numbness
nephro-
kidney
neuro-
nerve
ob-
before, against
oculo-
eye
odonto-
teeth
-odyn
pain
-oid
like, resembling
-oma
tumor
opthalmo-
eye
-opia
defect of the eye
ortho-
straight, direct
-ory
referring to, of
osteo-
bone
oto-
ear
oxy-
oxygen
pan-
all, universal
para-
beside, near
-pathy
disease
pen-
around
phago-
eat
phleb-
vein
-phobia
fear
-plasty
reconstruction of a part, plastic surgery
-plegia
paralysis
pod-
foot
poly-
multiple
post-
after
pre-, pro-
before, ahead
procto-
rectum, anus
pseudo-
false
psycho-
mind, pyche
pyo-
pus
re-
back, again, contrary
retro-
backward, behind
-rrhagia
abnormal or excessive discharge
-rrhea
flow or discharge
sacro-
flesh or fleshy
sclero-
hard
-scope
instrument used for examination
semi-
half
somato-
body
-stasis
arrest, fixation
steno-
narrow
-stormy
establishment of an artificial opening
sub-
beneath, under
super-
above, upon
supra-
above, upon
sym-, syn-
together, with
tachy-
rapid
therm-
heat
-tomy
to cut
tox-
poision
trans-
across, through
tri-
three
troph-
nourish
-trophic
changing; influencing
-ty
condition of, state
-uria
urine
vas-
vessel
vene-
vein
vescero-
organ, viscera
zyg-
yoked, paired (zygote)