PREFIXES
a-,an-,
Without, absent, deficient, not. Example: anaerobic (without oxygen).
ad-,
Near, toward. Example: adrenal glands (glands located on top of the
kidneys).
ambi-,
Both. Example: ambidextrous (having equal dexterity in both
hands).
anti-,
Against. Example: antitoxin (substance that acts against a
poison).
bi-,
Two. Example: bicuspid (having 2 points or
protrusions).
brady-,
Slow. Example: bradycardia
(slow heartbeat).
co-,con-,
Together, in contact. Example: conjunctiva (the membrane that connects the
eyeball to the eyelid).
con-,contra-,
Against. Example: contraception (methods to prevent
conception).
cyan-,cyano-,
Blue. Example: cyanosis (the dark blue color of
deoxygenated blood).
de-,
Away, without, down from, out of. Example: dementia (state of being "out of one's
mind").
dia-,
Through, completely, across. Example: dialysis (separation of particles from
liquid through a straining device).
dys-,
Difficult, bad. Example: dyspepsia (indigestion).
ect-,ecto-,
Outside. Example: ectopic
(displaced).
en-,endo-,
Inside, within, inner. Example: endoscopy
(internal examination).
epi-,
On, over, next to. Example: epidermis (the outer layer of skin).
erythro-,
Red. Example: erythrocyte (red blood cell).
eu-,
Good, well. Example: euphoria (extreme elation).
ex-,
Out of, away from. Example: exanthem (the
appearance of lesions on the skin).
hemi-,
Half. Example: hemiplegia
(paralysis of one side of the body).
hetero-,
Different. Example: heterogeneous (made up of differing
components).
homo-,
Alike, similar, the same. Example: homograft
(transplant of tissue from one organism to another of the same species).
hyper-,
Excessive, increased. Example: hypertension (high
blood pressure).
hypo-,
Insufficient, below. Example: hypotension (low
blood pressure).
inter-,
Between. Example: intertrigo
(chafing between 2 skin surfaces).
intra-,
Within. Example: intrauterine (inside the uterus).
leuk-,leuko-,
White. Example: leukocyte (white blood cell).
lig-,
Binding. Example: ligament (band of tissue that connects
bones).
macro-,
Large. Example: macrocyte (a large
cell).
mega-,
Large. Example: megacolon (an
enlarged large intestine) or cardiomegaly (an
enlarged heart).
melan-,melano-,
Black, dark. Example: melanin (dark pigment).
met-,meta-,
Change in, between, after. Example: metabolism (the
total of all the chemical changes in the body).
micro-,
Small. Example: microbe (very small living organism).
mono-,
One. Example: monosaccharide
(simple sugar).
myc-,myco-,mycet-,
Fungal, relating to fungus. Example: mycotic infection
(disease caused by a fungus).
ne-,neo-,
New. Example: neoplasm (new growth, tumor).
olig-,oligo-,
Scanty, little. Example: oliguria
(deficient urine secretion).
ortho-,
Erect, straight. Example: orthodontics (straightening
of teeth).
osteo-,
Bone. Example: osteomalacia
(softness of the bones).
pachy-,
Thick. Example: pachyderm (thick skin).
pan-,
Whole, entire. Example: pandemic (epidemic affecting entire
area).
para-,
Alongside of. Example: parasite (organism that lives on or in
another organism).
patho-,
Disease. Example: pathology (study of disease).
peri-,
Around, surrounding. Example: pericardium (the membrane surrounding the heart).
phlebo-,
Vein. Example: phlebitis (inflammation of a vein).
pneumo-,
Air, lung. Example: pneumonia.
poly-,
Many, more than normal. Example: polydactyly
(having more than the usual number of fingers).
post-,
After. Example: postmortem (after death).
pre-,
Before. Example: prenatal (before birth).
procto-,
Pertaining to the anus or rectum. Example: proctoscope
(instrument to examine the anus and rectum).
proto-,
First, earliest. Example: prototype.
re-,retro-,
Again, back, behind. Example: repression (pressing
back feelings into the subconscious).
retro-,
Behind, past. Example: retroversion
(turning back of).
rhino-,
Nose. Example: rhinoplasty
(plastic surgery of the nose).
schisto-,schizo-,
sclera-,
Tough, hard. Example: scleroderma
(hardening of the skin and connective tissue).
sub-,
Under, less than. Example: subacute (less
than acute).
super-,supra-,
Above. Example: suprapubic (above
the pubis).
syn-,syl-,sym-,
Together. Example: syndrome (occurring together).
tachy-,
Abnormally fast. Example: tachycardia
(very fast heartbeat).
tri-,
Three, third. Example: trimester (one-third of pregnancy).
trichi-,tricho-,
Hairy, hairlike. Example: trichiasis (ingrown
hair).
ultra-,
Beyond. Example: ultrasound (sound waves out of the range of
human hearing).
xanth-,
Yellow. Example: xanthoma
(yellow patch on the skin).
xero-,
Dryness. Example: xeroderm (dry
skin).
SUFFIXES
-alg,
-algia,
Pain. Example: myalgia (pain in
the muscles).
-cele,
Swelling. Example: varicocele
(swollen vein in the spermatic cord).
-cide,
Capable of killing. Example: spermicide (agent
capable of killing sperm).
-ectomy,
Surgical removal. Example: splenectomy (surgical
removal of the spleen).
-gen,
-genic,
Producing, indicating origin. Example: allergen (substance capable of producing an
allergic reaction).
-gram, -graph, -graphy,
Record, recording device, recording
process. Examples: cardiogram, cardiography.
-ia,
-iasis,
Indicating diseased condition.
-itis,
Inflammation. Example: tonsillitis (inflammation of the
tonsils).
-lysis,
Breaking down. Example: hydrolysis (breakdown of a substance by the
addition of water).
-oid,
Resembling, similar to. Example: adenoid (organ similar to a gland).
-ologist,
one who studies, specialist in a branch of medicine.
-ology,
the science or study of.
-oma,
Tumor,not necessarily malignant.
-osis,
Diseased condition.
-ostomy,
Surgical creation of an opening.
-otomy,
Incision.
-penia,
Scarcity, deficiency.
-plasia,
-plasm,
Formation, growth. Example: neoplasm (tumor).
-poiesis,
Production.
-rhag,
-rhagra,
Excessive discharge. Example: hemorrhage.
-rrhea,
Flow. Example: leukorrhea (whitish
discharge of mucus from the vagina).
-scope,
Instrument for viewing. Example: cystoscope
(instrument for viewing the interior of the bladder).