Medical Terminology: Common Prefixes

Common Prefixes in Medical Terminology

• Prefixes appear at the beginning of a medical term and add meaning to the root word.
• Prefixes often indicate number, position, direction, time, and negation.

Functions of Prefixes

• Indicate number: bi- (two), tri- (three), etc.
• Indicate position: sub- (under), intra- (within), etc.
• Indicate direction: intra- (within), extra- (beyond), etc.
• Indicate time: brady- (slow), tachy- (rapid), etc.
• Indicate negation: a- (without), an- (without), etc.

List of Commonly Used Prefixes

• a-, an-: Absence of, without, not
• ab-: Away from, take away
• ad-: Towards, to, near
• ambi-, ambo-: Both
• amphi-: Double, both sides
• ana-: Up, apart
• ante-: Before, in front of, forward
• anti-: Opposing, against
• ap-, apo-: Separated, derived from
• aut-, auto-: Self, by yourself
• bi-: Double, two, twice, both
• brachy-: Short
• brady-: Slow
• cata-: Lower, down, against
• circum-: Around
• co-, con-, com-: Together, with
• contra-: Against, opposed to
• de-: Down, from
• di-: Twice, two
• dia-: Through, apart, across, between
• dis-: Apart from, free from
• dys-: Bad, painful, difficult
• e-, ec-, ex-: From, away from, out of
• ect-, exo-, ecto-: Outside, outer, on
• em-, en-: In
• end-, endo-, ent-, ento-: Within, inner
• epi-, ep-: Upon, over, on
• eu-: Normal
• extra-, extro-: Beyond, outside of, outward
• hemi-, semi-: Half, half of
• hyper-: Above, excessive, beyond
• hyp-, hypo-: Below, beneath, deficient
• im-, in-: Intro, in, within
• infra-: Below, beneath
• inter-: Between
• intra-: Within, inside
• intro-: Into, within
• iso-: Same, equal
• macro-: Large
• mal-: Bad
• mes-, meso-: Middle
• meta-: Beyond, changing
• micro-, micr-: Tiny, small
• mono-, uni-: One
• mult-, multi-: Many, multiple
• neo-: New, recent
• nulli-: None
• oligo-: Small amount
• ortho-: Straight, normal
• pan-: All
• para-: Beyond, beside, after
• per-: Through
• peri-: Around
• poly-: Many, excessive
• post-: After, following, behind
• pre-, pro-: In front of, before, preceding
• presby-: Old age
• pseudo-: False
• quadri-: Four
• re-: Backward, again
• retro-: Behind, backward
• semi-: Half, partial
• sub-: Under, beneath
• super-, supra-: Above, excessive, superior
• sym-, syn-: With, together
• tachy-: Rapid, fast
• trans-: Through, across
• tri-: Three
• ultra-: Excessive, beyond
• uni-: One

Examples of Common Prefixes in Body-Related Medical Terms

• Bilateral: Both sides
• Dysuria: Painful urination
• Hypertension: Excessive/high blood pressure
• Oliguria: Small amount of urine production
• Pericardial: Around the heart
• Tachycardia: Rapid heart rate

Common Prefixes in Medical Terminology

• Prefixes appear at the beginning of a medical term and add meaning to the root word.
• Prefixes often indicate number, position, direction, time, and negation.

Functions of Prefixes

• Indicate number: bi- (two), tri- (three), etc.
• Indicate position: sub- (under), intra- (within), etc.
• Indicate direction: intra- (within), extra- (beyond), etc.
• Indicate time: brady- (slow), tachy- (rapid), etc.
• Indicate negation: a- (without), an- (without), etc.

List of Commonly Used Prefixes

• a-, an-: Absence of, without, not
• ab-: Away from, take away
• ad-: Towards, to, near
• ambi-, ambo-: Both
• amphi-: Double, both sides
• ana-: Up, apart
• ante-: Before, in front of, forward
• anti-: Opposing, against
• ap-, apo-: Separated, derived from
• aut-, auto-: Self, by yourself
• bi-: Double, two, twice, both
• brachy-: Short
• brady-: Slow
• cata-: Lower, down, against
• circum-: Around
• co-, con-, com-: Together, with
• contra-: Against, opposed to
• de-: Down, from
• di-: Twice, two
• dia-: Through, apart, across, between
• dis-: Apart from, free from
• dys-: Bad, painful, difficult
• e-, ec-, ex-: From, away from, out of
• ect-, exo-, ecto-: Outside, outer, on
• em-, en-: In
• end-, endo-, ent-, ento-: Within, inner
• epi-, ep-: Upon, over, on
• eu-: Normal
• extra-, extro-: Beyond, outside of, outward
• hemi-, semi-: Half, half of
• hyper-: Above, excessive, beyond
• hyp-, hypo-: Below, beneath, deficient
• im-, in-: Intro, in, within
• infra-: Below, beneath
• inter-: Between
• intra-: Within, inside
• intro-: Into, within
• iso-: Same, equal
• macro-: Large
• mal-: Bad
• mes-, meso-: Middle
• meta-: Beyond, changing
• micro-, micr-: Tiny, small
• mono-, uni-: One
• mult-, multi-: Many, multiple
• neo-: New, recent
• nulli-: None
• oligo-: Small amount
• ortho-: Straight, normal
• pan-: All
• para-: Beyond, beside, after
• per-: Through
• peri-: Around
• poly-: Many, excessive
• post-: After, following, behind
• pre-, pro-: In front of, before, preceding
• presby-: Old age
• pseudo-: False
• quadri-: Four
• re-: Backward, again
• retro-: Behind, backward
• semi-: Half, partial
• sub-: Under, beneath
• super-, supra-: Above, excessive, superior
• sym-, syn-: With, together
• tachy-: Rapid, fast
• trans-: Through, across
• tri-: Three
• ultra-: Excessive, beyond
• uni-: One

Examples of Common Prefixes in Body-Related Medical Terms

• Bilateral: Both sides
• Dysuria: Painful urination
• Hypertension: Excessive/high blood pressure
• Oliguria: Small amount of urine production
• Pericardial: Around the heart
• Tachycardia: Rapid heart rate