Medical Terminology - Prefixes Flashcards

Medical Terminology Prefixes

• bi-: Signifies "two" or "double"; example includes bicuspid (having two cusps).

• hemi-: Indicates "half"; used in terms like hemiplegia (paralysis affecting one side of the body).

• milli-: Means "one-thousandth"; seen in milliliter (one-thousandth of a liter).

• mono-: Refers to "one" or "single"; example is monocyte (a type of white blood cell with a single nucleus).

• nulli-: Denotes "none"; illustrated by nullipara (a woman with no children).

• primi-: Means "first"; as in primigravida (first pregnancy).

• quadri-: Signifies "four"; for instance, quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs).

• semi-: Indicates "half"; used in terms like semiconscious (partially conscious).

• tetra-: Means "four"; seen in tetraplegia (paralysis of both arms and legs).

• tri-: Refers to "three"; example includes triceps (a muscle with three heads).

• uni-: Signifies "one"; illustrated by uninuclear (a cell with one nucleus).

• hyper-: Indicates "excessive"; seen in hyperlipemia (elevated blood lipids).

• hyp-: Means "under" or "below"; used in hypoxemia (lower than normal blood oxygen level).

• hypo-: Similar to "hyp-", denotes "under" or "less than normal"; as in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).

• multi-: Signifies "many"; as seen in multipara (a woman who has given birth multiple times).

• poly-: Means "many" or "much"; used in terms like polyarthritis (inflammation of multiple joints) and polyuria (excessive urination).

• ab-: Indicates "from" or "away from"; illustrated by abduct (to move a body part away from the midline).

• ad-: Means "toward" or "increase"; seen in adduct (movement toward the midline).

• ambi-: Refers to "both"; example includes ambidextrous (capable of using both hands proficiently).

• ante-: Signifies "before" or "in front"; as in antecubital (the area in front of the elbow).

• circum-: Means "around"; used in terms like circumoral (around the mouth).

• de-: Indicates "down" or "from"; for example, descend (to move downward).

• dia-: Means "through"; seen in diagnosis (determining a condition through testing).

• ecto-: Refers to "outside"; illustrated by ectopic (located outside normal reference).

• endo-: Signifies "within"; as in endocervical (related to the inner cervix lining).

• epi-: Means "upon" or "over"; used in epigastric (located above the stomach).

• ex-: Indicates "out" or "away from"; seen in extract (to remove something from a location).

• extra-: Means "outside" or "beyond"; as in extrahepatic (located outside the liver).

• in-: Signifies "in" or "inside"; illustrated by intubate (inserting a tube into an organ).

• infra-: Refers to "beneath"; as in infrapatellar (located below the knee).

• inter-: Means "between"; used in terms like intercostal (located between the ribs).

• intra-: Indicates "within"; as in intravenous (inside a vein).

• juxta-: Means "near" or "beside"; example includes juxtaarticular (near a joint).

• meso-: Refers to "middle"; used in mesoderm (the middle skin layer).

• para-: Signifies "near" or "beside"; illustrated by paracervical (near the cervix).

• peri-: Means "around"; as in perianal (surrounding the anus).

• pre-: Indicates "before"; seen in terms like precordial (area of the chest in front of the heart).

• pro-: Means "in front" or "before"; as in progravid (before pregnancy).

• retro-: Refers to "backward" or "behind"; illustrated by retroflexion (position where an organ tilts backward).

• sub-: Signifies "under" or "below"; as in sublingual (located under the tongue).

• supra-: Means "above" or "over"; seen in suprapubic (above the pubic area).

• trans-: Indicates "across" or "through"; as in transurethral (across the urethra).

• alb-: Refers to "white"; example is albino (individual with pale skin and reduced pigmentation).

• albin/o: Also means "white"; seen in albinism (deficiency of pigment).

• chlor/o: Indicates "green"; illustrated by chlorophyll (green pigment crucial for photosynthesis).