Prefixes Quiz - Medical Terminology Chapter 3

Questions and Answers

What is a prefix?

short word part added before a word root to modify the meaning

What does the prefix 'uni-' mean?

one (correct)

two

many

half

What does the prefix 'bi-' mean?

one

two (correct)

three

half

Which of the following signifies the concept of duality?

bi- Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'hemi-' mean?

half; one side Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'anti-' mean?

against Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'cyan/o-' represent?

blue Signup and view all the answers

Which prefix means 'not'?

a-, an- Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'macro-' mean?

large Signup and view all the answers

Which prefix indicates something is 'false'?

pseudo- Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Medical Terminology - Prefixes

A prefix is a short word part added before a word root to modify its meaning.
Common prefix indicating "one" includes Uni-, as in unilateral (affecting one side).
Contra- indicates opposition, as in contralateral (opposite side).

Numeric Prefixes

Prim/i- signifies "first."
Mon/o and Uni- both translate to "one."
Hemi- means "half" or "one side."
Semi- also indicates "half" or "partial."
Bi- and Di- refer to "two" or "twice."
Dipl/o means "double."
Tri- denotes "three."
Quadr/i- and Tetra- each indicate "four."
Multi- signifies "many."
Poly- means "many" or "much."

Color Prefixes

Cyan/o- stands for "blue."
Erythr/o- signifies "red."
Leuk/o- indicates "white" or "colorless."
Melan/o- represents "black" or "dark."
Xanth/o- translates to "yellow."

Negative Prefixes

A-, An- means "not," "without," or "lack of."
Anti- signifies "against."
Contra- also means "against," "opposite," or "opposed."
De- indicates "down," "without," "removal," or "loss."
Dis- means "absence," "removal," or "separation."
In-, Im- (before b, m, p) indicates "not" or "lack of."
Non- means "not."
Un- also signifies "not."

Directional Prefixes

Ab- means "away from."
Ad- signifies "toward" or "near."
Dia-, Per-, Trans- all mean "through."

Degree Prefixes

Hyper- indicates "over," "excess," or "abnormally high."
Hypo- signifies "under," "below," or "abnormally low."
Olig/o- denotes "few" or "scanty."
Pan- means "all."

Size and Comparison Prefixes

Equi- signifies "equal" or "same."
Eu- means "true," "good," or "normal."
Hetero- translates to "other," "different," or "unequal."
Homo- and Homeo- both signify "same" or "unchanging."
Iso- means "equal" or "same."
Macro- indicates "large" or "abnormally large."
Mega- or Megalo- also means "large" or "abnormally large," but "Mega-" can refer to "1 million."
Micro- denotes "small," also meaning "1 millionth."
Neo- signifies "new."
Normo- stands for "normal."
Ortho- means "straight," "correct," or "upright."
Poikilo- indicates "varied" or "irregular."
Pseudo- translates to "false."
Re- signifies "again" or "back."

Time and Position Prefixes

Ante- means "before."

Description

Test your knowledge of prefixes in medical terminology with this flashcard quiz. Focus on how prefixes modify meanings in various contexts. Perfect for students looking to enhance their understanding of medical language.