Medical Terminology: Prefixes and Suffixes

Study Notes

Prefixes and Suffixes in Medical Terminology

Ecto: Outer, situated on the outer side (e.g., ectoderm, ectoretina)
Em, en: In, within (e.g., empyema, encephalon)
Endo: Within (e.g., endocardium, endometrium)
Epi: Upon, on (e.g., epidural, epidermis)
Eu: Good, well, true (e.g., euthanasia)
Exo: Outside, outer layer (e.g., exogenous, exocolitis)
Extra: Outside (e.g., extracellular, extrapleural)
Hemi: Half (e.g., hemiplegia, hemianesthesia)
Hydro: Water, fluid (e.g., hydrocephalus)
Hyper: Over, above, excessive (e.g., hyperemia, hypertrophy, hyperplasia)
Hypo: Under, below, deficient (e.g., hypotension, hypothyroidism)
Im, in (1): In, into (e.g., immersion, infiltration, injection)
Im, in (2): Not (e.g., immature, involuntary, inability)
Infra: Below (e.g., infraorbital, infraclavicular)
Inter: Between (e.g., intercostal, intervene)
Intra: Within (e.g., intracerebral, intraocular, intraventricular)
Intro: Into, within (e.g., introversion, introduce)
Iso: Equal, alike (e.g., isotonic saline, isotonic solution)
Macro: Large (e.g., macrocyte)
Mal: Bad, poor (e.g., malocclusion)
Mega: Large, oversized (e.g., megacolon)
Meta: Beyond, after, change (e.g., metamorphosis, metastasis, metacarpal)
Olig: Few, little (e.g., oliguria)
Opistho: Behind, backward (e.g., opisthotic, opisthognathous)
Para: Beside, beyond, near to (e.g., paracardiac, paraurethral)
Per: Through, excessive (e.g., permeate, perforate, peracute)
Peri: Around (e.g., periosteum, periatrial, peribronchial)
Poly: Many, much (e.g., polycystic ovaries)
Post: After, behind (e.g., postoperative, postpartum, postocular)
Pre: Before, in front of (e.g., premaxillary, preoral)
Pro: Before, in front of (e.g., prognosis, prophase)
Pseudo: False (e.g., pseudopodia)
Py: Pus (e.g., pyometra)
Re: Back, again, contrary (e.g., reflex, revert, regurgitation)
Retro: Backward, located behind (e.g., retrocervical, retrograde, retrolingual)
Semi: Half (e.g., semicircular, semilunar, semiconscious)
Sub: Under (e.g., subcutaneous, subarachnoid, subungual)
Super: Above, upper, excessive (e.g., supercilia, supernumerary, supermedial)
Supra: Above, upper, excessive (e.g., suprarenal, suprasternal, suprascapular)
Sym, syndrome: Together, with (e.g., symphysis, synapsis, synarthrosis)
Tachy: Fast, rapid (e.g., tachycardia)
Trans: Across, through, beyond (e.g., transection, transduodenal, transmit)
Ultra: Beyond, in excess (e.g., ultraviolet, ultraligation, ultrasonic)
Ur: Urine, urea (e.g., uremia)

Description

Explore the essential prefixes and suffixes used in medical terminology. Understand how these components modify the meanings of medical terms and their significance in the healthcare field. This quiz will help you master the foundational elements of medical vocabulary.