Medical Prefixes and Suffixes

Medical Prefixes and Suffixes

• a-, an-: no, not, without, negates the meaning
• ab-: away from; from
• ad-: toward, at, increase, on, toward
• anti-: against, opposing
• bi-, bin-: two, twice, double
• brady-: slow
• de-: from, down, away from
• dia-: through, complete
• dys-: painful, abnormal, difficult, labored
• endo-: within, in
• epi-: on, upon, over
• eu-: normal, good
• hemi-: half
• hyper-: above, excessive
• inter-: between
• intra-: within, in
• macro-: large, long
• meta-: after, beyond, change
• neo-: new
• nulli-: none
• pachy-: thick, thickening, thickened
• pan-: all, total
• para-: beside, beyond, around
• peri-: surrounding (outer)
• post-: after
• pre-: before
• pro-: before
• sub-: below, under
• supra-: above
• sym-, syn-: together, joined
• tachy-: fast, rapid
• trans-: through, across, beyond
• tri-: three
• uni-: one

Medical Suffixes

• -ectasis: stretching out, dilation, expansion
• -a: noun ending, no meaning
• -ectomy: excision, surgical removal, cut out
• -emesis: vomiting
• -emia: in the blood
• -esis: condition
• -gen: substance or agent that produces or causes
• -genic: producing, originating, causing
• -gram: the record, radiographic image
• -graph: instrument used to record; the record
• -graphy: process of recording, radiographic imaging
• -ia: condition of, diseased state
• -algia: pain
• -ar: pertaining to
• -ary: pertaining to
• -asthenia: weakness
• -carcinoma: cancerous tumor

Medical Terminology

• Medical terminology is the language used to describe components and processes of the human body, medical procedures, diseases, disorders, and pharmacology
• Example words: Anterior, posterior, lateral, ventral, etc.

Anatomy

• Anatomy is the study of structures of the human or any other living organism
• Father of anatomy is Herophillus
• Anatomy gives us an idea of the organ-system regarding the structure and position inside the body

Physiology

• Physiology is the study of function or mechanism of the body and organ-system inside the body
• Father of physiology is Claude Bernard
• Study of physiology involves the mechanism of individual organs and the chemical produced by the organs

Anatomical Position

• Anatomical position is the position of the body or body parts in a specific way
• Example: Upright body facing forward with the feet facing forward direction

Directional Terms

• Directional terms describe the positions of structures relative to other structures or locations in the body