Medical Terminology: Prefixes

• Basic elements of medical terminology consist of word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms.

Prefixes

• A prefix is a syllable added before a word or word root, altering its meaning and creating a new word.

Common Prefixes

• Common prefixes relate to numbers, colors, direction, degree, size, speed, comparison, time, position, and negation.

Prefixes of Numbers

• Mono means one, e.g., Monocytes.
• Uni means one, e.g., Unicellular.
• Bi and Di mean two or twice, e.g., Biconcave, Dimer.
• Tri means three, e.g., Tripod.
• Quadri means four, e.g., Quadriplegic.
• Hemi and Semi mean half or partial, e.g., Hemiplagia.
• Poly means many, e.g., Polyurea.
• Oligo means few, e.g., Oligosaccharide.

Prefixes of Colors

• Leuk means white, e.g., Leukemia.
• Alb means colorless, e.g., Albinism.
• Xanth means yellow, e.g., Xanthomatosis.
• Cyan means blue, e.g., Cyanosis.
• Erythro means red, e.g., Erythrocytes.
• Rube means red, e.g., Rubefacient.
• Polio means gray, e.g., Poliosis.
• Melan means black or dark, e.g., Melanocytes.

Prefixes of Directions

• Ab means away from, e.g., Abnormal.
• Ad means near, e.g., Adrenal.
• Juxta means towards, e.g., Juxtaglomerular.
• Dia means through, e.g., Diadermic.
• Per means through, e.g., Percutaneous.
• Trans means through, e.g., Transplacental.
• Epi means above, e.g., Epidermis.
• Supra means above, e.g., Suprarenal.

Prefixes of Degrees

• Hyper means over or excess, e.g., Hypertension.
• Hypo means under or below, e.g., Hypothermia.
• Super means over or excess, e.g., Supersaturation.
• Pan means all, e.g., Panacea, Pandemic.

Prefixes of Size and Speed

• Micro means small, e.g., Microorganism.
• Nano means small, e.g., Nanotechnology.
• Macro means large, e.g., Macromolecule.
• Iso means equal or same, e.g., Isotonic.
• Brady means slow, e.g., Bradycardia.
• Tachy means fast, e.g., Tachycardia.

Prefixes of Comparison

• Homo means same, e.g., Homosexual.
• Hetero means different, e.g., Heterogenous.
• Normo means normal, e.g., Normothermia.
• Eu means good or mercy, e.g., Euphoria, Euthanasia.
• Ortho means straight, e.g., Orthodox.
• Pseudo means false, e.g., Pseudopodium.
• Neo means new, e.g., Neonate.

Prefixes of Time

• Ante means before, e.g., Antecebum.
• Pre means before, e.g., Premature.
• Pro means before, e.g., Prognosis.
• Post means after, e.g., Postpartum, Postmortem, Postoperative.

Prefixes of Position

• Dextro means right, e.g., Dextrorotatory.
• Levo means left, e.g., Levorotatory.
• Ec and Ecto mean outside, e.g., Ectopic.
• Ex means outside, e.g., Exothermic.
• Endo means in or within, e.g., Endocrine.
• Extra means outside of, e.g., Extraordinary.
• Syn and Sym mean together, e.g., Synergism, Sympathy.
• Inter means between, e.g., Intermolecular.
• Infra means below, e.g., Infrared.
• Meso means middle, e.g., Mesophyl.
• Meta means beyond, e.g., Metastasis, Metaphysics.
• Retro means back, e.g., Retroinfection.
• Con means together, e.g., Congenital.
• Peri means surrounding, e.g., Perianal.

Prefixes of Negative

• A means without, lack, or absence, e.g., Amorphous, Anemia, Apnoea.
• Ana means absence, e.g., Anaerobic.
• Anti means against, e.g., Antipyretic.
• Contra means against, e.g., Contraceptive, Contraindication.
• Dis means removal, e.g., Disinfectant.
• De means without or loss, e.g., Deodorant, Depilatory.
• Dys means bad or impaired, e.g., Dysphagia.
• Mal means bad, e.g., Malnutrition.
• In, Ir, and Im mean not, e.g., Indigestion, Irregular, Immature, Immiscible.

Suffixes

• Suffixes are added to the end of a word root to modify the meaning.
• Adding a suffix can create a new noun or adjective with a different meaning.

Common Prefixes

• Signify medical conditions, diagnostic terms, surgical procedures, donating adjectives and associated with specialists.

Suffixes Signifying Medical Conditions

• Algia means pain, e.g., Neuralgia.
• Dynia means pain, e.g., Cardiodynia.
• Emia means blood, e.g., Anemia.
• Itis means inflammation, e.g., Dermatitis.
• Oma means tumor, e.g., Osteoma.
• Spasm means contraction, e.g., Bronchospasm.
• Megaly means enlarged, e.g., Hepatomegaly.
• Penia means reduction, e.g., Leukopenia.
• Plegia means paralysis, e.g., Hemiplegia.
• Ptosis means fall, e.g., Blepharoptosis.
• Rrhage means flowing, e.g., Hemorrhage.
• Rrhea means discharge, e.g., Diarrhea.

Suffixes Signifying Diagnostic Terms, Test Information, or Surgical Procedures

• Ectomy means surgical removal, e.g., Tonsillectomy.
• Plasty means surgical repair, e.g., Angioplasty.
• Stomy means permanent incision, e.g., Gastrostomy.
• Pexy means fixation, e.g., Hystropexy.
• Gram means record, e.g., ECG, EEG.
• Scope means viewing device, e.g., Bronchoscope.
• Graphy means process of recording, e.g., Mammography.
• Therapy means treatment, e.g., Psychotherapy.
• Metry means process of measurement, e.g., Spirometry.
• Genesis means producing, e.g., Angiogenesis.
• Scopy is the process of using an instrument to examine, e.g. colonoscopy

Suffixes Donating Adjectives

• Ac means cardiac.
• Ile means febrile.
• Al means skeletal.
• Ous means intravenous.
• Ar means muscular.
• Oid means alkaloid.
• Ary means urinary.
• Ic means pelvic.

Suffixes Associated with a Medical Specialty or Specialist

• Logy relates to Physiology.
• Iatry relates to Psychiatry.
• Iatric relates to Geriatrics, Pediatrics.
• Ist relates to Biologist, Psychologist.
• Ian relates to Physician.