Medical Terminology: Direction Prefixes Flashcards

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What does the prefix 'ab' in 'abduction' mean?

  • inside
  • around
  • toward
  • away from (correct)

What does the prefix 'ad' in 'adduction' refer to?

toward

What does 'circum' signify in terms of location?

around

What does 'trans' mean in 'transurethral'?

<p>across, through (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'ultra' refer to?

<p>beyond</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'ecto' mean in medical terminology?

<p>outside</p> Signup and view all the answers

The prefix 'peri' denotes what?

<p>around</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'super' mean in 'superior vena cava'?

<p>upper part (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'intra' signify?

<p>within</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'ambi' mean?

<p>both</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'ante' signify?

<p>before, in front</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'de' mean in medical terminology?

<p>down, from</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'dia' refer to in 'diagnosis'?

<p>through (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'endo' indicate?

<p>within</p> Signup and view all the answers

The prefix 'epi' means what?

<p>upon, over</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'ex' mean in medical terms?

<p>out, away from</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'exo' mean?

<p>outside, outward</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'extra' refer to?

<p>outside, beyond</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'hypo' indicate?

<p>under, below</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'in' in 'intubate' mean?

<p>inside (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'infra' refer to?

<p>beneath, below</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'inter' signify?

<p>between</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'juxta' mean?

<p>near, beside</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'meso' indicate?

<p>middle</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'para' mean?

<p>near, beside</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'pre' mean?

<p>before, in front</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'pro' signify?

<p>in front, before</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 're' indicate?

<p>back, again</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'retro' mean?

<p>backward, behind</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'sub' refer to?

<p>under, below</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'supra' mean?

<p>above, over</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'ec' commonly mean?

<p>out or outside</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'en' or 'em' mean?

<p>within or inside</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does 'exotrophy' refer to?

<p>outward turning</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards are hidden until you start studying

Study Notes

Medical Terminology Prefixes - Direction

  • ab: Means "away from"; exemplified by "abduction," which refers to movement away from the midline of the body.
  • ad: Means "toward" or "increase"; used in "adduction," indicating movement toward the midline of the body.
  • circum: Refers to something "around another"; as in "circumrenal," which describes the area surrounding the kidney.
  • trans: Means "across" or "through"; seen in "transurethral," indicating something that crosses or is through the urethra.
  • ultra: Indicates "excess" or "beyond"; exemplified by "ultrasonic waves," which are sounds beyond the range of human hearing.
  • ecto: Means "outside"; used in "ectopic," describing something located outside its normal position.
  • peri: Denotes a position "surrounding" or "around"; as in "periodontal," meaning around a tooth.
  • para: Means "alongside of" or "beside"; evident in terms like parathyroid (adjacent to the thyroid) and paraumbilical (beside the umbilicus).
  • super: Indicates "upper part of" a structure; seen in "superior vena cava," the upper portion of the vena cava.
  • intra: Means "within"; used in "intracardiac," indicating something located within the heart.
  • ambi: Refers to "both sides"; as in "ambidextrous," the ability to use both hands proficiently.
  • ante: Means "before" or "in front"; exemplified by "antecubital," the space in front of the elbow.
  • circum: Denotes "around"; as seen in "circumoral," meaning around the mouth.
  • de: Refers to "down" or "from"; as in "descend," to come down from a higher position.
  • dia: Means "through"; used in "diagnosis," which signifies knowledge gained through testing.
  • endo: Means "within"; as seen in "endocervical," indicating the inner lining of the cervix.
  • epi: Indicates "upon" or "over"; as in "epigastric," which refers to the region above the stomach.
  • ex: Means "out," "away from," or "outside"; seen in "extract," meaning to remove a tooth from the oral cavity.
  • exo: Means "outside" or "outward"; as with "exogenous," indicating something originating outside the body.
  • extra: Refers to "outside" or "beyond"; as in "extrahepatic," meaning outside the liver.
  • hypo: Indicates "under," "below," or "less than normal"; seen in "hypoglossal" (under the tongue) and "hypoglycemia" (abnormally low blood glucose levels).
  • in: Means "inside" or "within"; as in "intubate," which refers to inserting a tube into an organ or body cavity.
  • infra: Means "beneath" or "below"; used in "infrapatellar," indicating the area below the knee.
  • inter: Refers to "between"; seen in "intercostal," which indicates the area between the ribs.
  • intra: Again indicates "within"; as in "intravenous," meaning within a vein.
  • juxta: Means "near" or "beside"; exemplified by "juxta-articular," indicating a location near a joint.
  • meso: Means "middle"; as in "mesoderm," referring to the middle layer of skin in embryonic development.
  • para: Again refers to "near" or "beside"; as in "paracervical," meaning near the cervix.
  • peri: Again denotes "around"; as in "perianal," describing the area around the anus.
  • pre: Means "before" or "in front"; seen in "precordial," referring to the chest wall region in front of the heart.
  • pro: Indicates "in front" or "before"; as in "prognosis," which refers to knowledge of the likely course of a disease before it progresses.
  • re: Means "back" or "again"; seen in "reactivate," which means to make something active again.
  • retro: Refers to "backward" or "behind"; used in "retroflexion," describing an abnormal position where an organ tilts backward.
  • sub: Means "under" or "below"; as in "sublingual," indicating something situated under the tongue.
  • supra: Refers to "above" or "over"; seen in "suprapubic," indicating a position above the pubic area.
  • ec, ecto, ex, exo, extra: All denote "out" or "outside."
  • en, em, endo: All refer to "within" or "inside."
  • exotrophy: Indicates "outward"; combines "exo" (outside) and "trophy" (turning), representing outward turning of the eye.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Quiz Team

More Like This

Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser