Medical Terminology Prefixes PDF

Nile valley University Faculty of pharmacy PO 101 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology  Word Prefixes   Prefixes are a group of letters that are added to the beginning of a medical term to give a description of th...

Nile valley University Faculty of pharmacy PO 101 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology  Word Prefixes   Prefixes are a group of letters that are added to the beginning of a medical term to give a description of the root Position or Time location Quantity Color Prefixes Negation Size Miscellaneous  a) Prefixes pertaining to position or location No Prefixes Meaning Examples Intra inside  intracellular inside cells 1 in or  inhalation taking breath into the lung En within Endo  encephalitis brain inflammation  endocarditis means inflammation within the heart 2 Inter intercellular means between cells between intercostal means between ribs. No Prefixes Meaning Examples 3 Peri Around  Pericarditis inflammation around the heart Ec Outside ectopic pregnancy pregnancy outside the uterine cavity 4 Exo Ecto exocytosis expelling particles outside a cell. 5 Retro Behind Retrosternal Goiter Enlarged thyroid gland behind sternum No Prefixes Meaning Examples  Subcutaneous / 6 Sub Under Hypodermis Hypo Under skin Lower 7 Epi above  Epigastric Above the stomach 8 Ad toward  Adduction movement of limb toward the midline of the body. 9 Ab away  Abduction movement of limb away from the midline of the body. 10 Apo Separate  Apoptosis means fragmentation of a cell into separate parts.  b) Prefixes pertaining to Quantity Mono / Uni B Tri Tetra / Quadri i Single / One Two Thre Four e  Monocyte  Bilateral  Tricuspid valve  Quadriplegia Single cell Two side is a heart valve Paralysis in all 4 composed of three parts limbs  Unidirectional  Binuclear cell has one direction has two nucleus  Multi / Poly Semi / Hypo Oligo hemi Many / much Half Lower than normal Few  Polycystic ovary  Semiconscious  Hypotension  Oligospermia many small cysts Half conscious Low blood pressure decreased sperm count on the ovaries  Hemiplegia  Multivitamin paralysis in one Hyper Contain combination half of the body of vitamins higher than normal  Hypertension high blood pressure  Homo / Homeo Hetero / Allo Schizo Amphi / diplo / ambi same Different Split / divided Double  Homomorphic  Heterotypic  Schizophrenia  Diplopia Same shape Different types Divided mind Double vision Homeostasis State of equilibrium in the body  Allopathy Different disease  c) Prefixes pertaining to Negation A / An Without  Anuria No urine  Atony Loss of muscle tone  Anesthesia without feeling Anti / Contra Against  Antiemetic  Contraception Drug which Inhibition of pregnancy stop emesis  d) Prefixes pertaining to Time Ante / Pre Post Before after  Antepartum  Postpartum Before childbirth After labor  Postoperative After surgery  Premenstrual Before menstrual cycle  Postmortem After death  e) Prefixes pertaining to Color Leuko / Leuco White Erythro Red  Leukocyte White cell  Erythrocyte Red cell  Leukemia  Erythema Redness Cancer of Leukocytes of skin Melano Black  Melanocyte  Melanoma Black tumor Cell that secret black pigment melanin  Cyan Blue Cirr Yellow h  Cyanosis bluishness of skin Cirrhotic Yellowish chloroma Chloro greenish yellow tumor Green originating from myeloid tissue  e) Prefixes pertaining to Size Micro Macro / Mega / megalo Small Large  Microorganism  Mega-colon  Megaloblastic anemia Small organism Large colon type of anemia characterized by large blood cells  Micro-cardia Heart size smaller than normal  f) Miscellaneous Prefixes No Prefixes Meaning Examples  Hydrophobia  Hydrocephalus 1 Hydro Water Pathological fear of water Congestion of water on brain 2 Noct night  Nocturnal enuresis urination during night 3 Mal bad  Malnutrition Bad nutrition No Prefixes Meaning Examples Dysmenorrhea menstruation with 4 Dys Difficult difficulty Painful Dyspnea Difficulty in breath 5 Re Again  Rehydration return of water to a system after loss Dia 6 per Through  Transfusion transferring blood or blood products to compensate Trans 7 Steno narrow  Renal artery Narrowing in stenosis renal artery 8 Prime First Prim-gravida pregnant for the first time No Prefixes Meaning Examples 9 Brady Slow Bradycardia Slow heart rate 10 Tachy Rapid Tachycardia Rapid heart rate 11 Iso equal  Isosteric have the same dimensions 12 Aniso unequal anisotropic Do not have same properties in all directions 13 Necr Death Necrosis Cell death 14 Neo New  Neonate Newborn 15 Auto Self  Auto-immune disease