Medical Terminology Flashcards

Questions and Answers

What does the prefix 'Anti-' mean?

Short

Around

Self

Against (correct)

What does the prefix 'Auto-' mean?

Self

What does the prefix 'Brachy-' mean?

Short

What does the prefix 'Brady-' mean?

Slow Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Circum-' mean?

Around Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Contra-' mean?

Against Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Dia-' mean?

Through Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Endo-' mean?

Within Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Hemi-' mean?

Half Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Infra-' mean?

Positioned beneath Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Iso-' mean?

Equal, same Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Meso-' mean?

Middle, median Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Meta-' mean?

After Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Micro-' mean?

Small, microscopic Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Oligo-' mean?

Few, little, scanty Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Retro-' mean?

Behind, backward Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Supra-' mean?

Above, over Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Ultra-' mean?

Beyond, excessive Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Uni-' mean?

One Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-ad' mean?

Toward Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-asthenia' mean?

Weakness Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-cele' mean?

Hernia Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-cidal' mean?

Destroying, killing Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-clasis' mean?

Breaking Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-cytosis' mean?

Condition of cells Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-desis' mean?

Binding Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-ectasia' mean?

Expansion, dilation Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-ectomy' mean?

Removal of Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-genesis' mean?

Production of Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-iasis' mean?

Pathological condition or state Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-kinesia' mean?

Movement Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-lysis' mean?

Destruction of Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-megaly' mean?

Enlargement Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-peresis' mean?

Slight paralysis Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-parous' mean?

Producing, bearing Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-pheresis' mean?

Removal Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-phoresis' mean?

Carrying Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-phthisis' mean?

Wasting away Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-plasty' mean?

Surgical repair Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-plegic' mean?

One who is paralyzed Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-poiesis' mean?

Formation Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-ptosis' mean?

Falling down, drooping Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-rrhaphy' mean?

Surgical suturing Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-rrhexis' mean?

Rupture Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-scope' mean?

Instrument Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-somnia' mean?

Sleep Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-stalsis' mean?

Contraction Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-stasis' mean?

Stopping, constant Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-stenosis' mean?

Narrowing Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix '-tropia' mean?

Turning Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Medical Terminology Prefixes and Suffixes

Anti-: Means "against"; e.g., antibacterial prevents bacterial growth.
Auto-: Indicates "self"; e.g., autoimmune refers to immune responses against one's own tissue.
Brachy-: Signifies "short"; e.g., brachyesophagus is an unusually short esophagus.
Brady-: Denotes "slow"; e.g., bradycardia refers to an abnormally slow heartbeat.
Circum-: Means "around"; e.g., circumoral describes something surrounding the mouth.
Contra-: Indicates "against"; e.g., contraindicated means not recommended.
Dia-: Means "through"; e.g., diaplacental refers to passing through the placenta.
Endo-: Signifies "within"; e.g., endoabdominal means located within the abdomen.
Hemi-: Indicates "half"; e.g., hemiplegia is paralysis on one side of the body.
Infra-: Means "positioned beneath"; e.g., infrasternal indicates below the sternum.
Iso-: Denotes "equal" or "same"; e.g., isometric refers to having the same dimensions.
Meso-: Signifies "middle" or "median"; e.g., mesoderm is the middle layer of skin.
Meta-: Means "after"; e.g., metacarpus refers to the bones attached to the carpus.
Micro-: Indicates "small" or "microscopic"; e.g., microplasia refers to stunted growth.
Oligo-: Means "few" or "scanty"; e.g., oligospermia pertains to low sperm count.
Retro-: Indicates "behind" or "backward"; e.g., retroversion refers to a backward turning of the uterus.
Supra-: Means "above" or "over"; e.g., supramaxillary is above the maxilla.
Ultra-: Denotes "beyond" or "excessive"; e.g., ultrasonic relates to higher frequency energy waves.
Uni-: Indicates "one"; e.g., uniglandular involves only one gland.

Medical Terminology Suffixes

-ad: Means "toward"; e.g., cephalad indicates toward the head.
-asthenia: Refers to "weakness"; e.g., neurasthenia involves vague symptoms of weakness.
-cele: Indicates "hernia"; e.g., cystocele is a hernia of the urinary bladder.
-cidal: Means "destroying" or "killing"; e.g., suicidal means likely to self-harm.
-clasis: Signifies "breaking"; e.g., osteoclasis is an intentional fracture of bone.
-cytosis: Indicates a "condition of cells"; e.g., erythrocytosis is the abnormal number of red blood cells.
-desis: Means "binding"; e.g., arthrodesis refers to stiffening a joint.
-ectasia: Refers to "expansion" or "dilation"; e.g., neurectasia involves nerve dilation.
-ectomy: Signifies "removal"; e.g., appendectomy denotes the removal of the appendix.
-genesis: Means "production of"; e.g., pathogenesis is the development of disease.
-iasis: Indicates a "pathological condition or state"; e.g., psoriasis is a chronic skin condition.
-kinesia: Refers to "movement"; e.g., bradykinesia indicates reduced movement.
-lysis: Means "destruction of"; e.g., electrolysis is the permanent removal of hair.
-megaly: Denotes "enlargement"; e.g., cephalomegaly refers to an abnormal head enlargement.
-peresis: Indicates "slight paralysis"; e.g., monoparesis is paralysis of one extremity.
-parous: Means "producing" or "bearing"; e.g., viviparous signifies bearing live young.
-pheresis: Indicates "removal"; e.g., leukapheresis refers to the extraction of leukocytes.
-phoresis: Means "carrying"; e.g., electrophoresis is the movement of particles in an electric field.
-phthisis: Refers to "wasting away"; e.g., hemophthisis indicates anemia.
-plasty: Means "surgical repair"; e.g., rhinoplasty pertains to nose plastic surgery.
-plegic: Indicates "one who is paralyzed"; e.g., quadriplegic refers to paralysis of all four limbs.
-poiesis: Refers to "formation"; e.g., erythropoiesis is the process of red blood cell formation.
-ptosis: Means "falling down" or "drooping"; e.g., blepharoptosis refers to drooping of the eyelid.
-rrhaphy: Indicates "surgical suturing"; e.g., herniorrhaphy is repair of a hernia.
-rrhexis: Means "rupture"; e.g., cardiorrhexis refers to rupture of the heart wall.
-scope: Denotes an "instrument for viewing"; e.g., microscope is used to view small objects.
-somnia: Indicates "sleep"; e.g., insomnia is the inability to sleep.
-stalsis: Refers to "contraction"; e.g., peristalsis is intestinal contraction movement.
-stasis: Means "stopping" or "constant"; e.g., homeostasis indicates a state of body equilibrium.
-stenosis: Denotes "narrowing"; e.g., stenostenosis refers to the narrowing of the parotid duct.
-tropia: Means "turning"; e.g., esotropia is characterized by crossed eyes.

Studying That Suits You

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

Description

Test your knowledge of essential medical terminology with this flashcard quiz. Each card presents a prefix along with its definition and example, helping you understand the fundamental concepts of medical language. Perfect for students and professionals alike!