Common Prefixes in Medical Terminology

GlobalRPh Medical Terminology Section

Common Prefixes  

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a-

without, not, no

apnea (without breathing)

 

ab-

from, away from

aberrant (wandering away from)

ad-

toward, increase

adduct (movement toward the midline of the body)

 

alb-

white

albino (person who has a marked deficiency of pigment in the eyes, hair, and skin; has abnormally white skin)

 

albin/o

white

albinism (condition of abnormally white skin; characterized by absence of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes)

 

ambi-

both, both sides

ambidextrous (able to use both hands well)

 

an-

without, not, no

anesthesia (without feeling) ante- before, in front antecubital (“the space” in front of the elbow)

 

anti-

against

antidote (a drug or other substance that opposes [works against] the action of a poison)

 

auto-

self

autograft (a graft transferred from one part of a patient’s body to another)

 

bi-

two, double bicuspid (having two cusps or points)

 

bio-

life

biology (the study of life)

 

brady-

slow

bradycardia (slow heartbeat)

 

chlor/o

green

chlorophyll (green pigment in plants that accomplishes photosynthesis)

 

circum-

around

circumduction (movement around in a circle)

 

cirrh/o

yellow, tawny

cirrhosis (chronic degenerative liver disease with resultant yellowness of the liver and skin)

 

con-

together, with

congenital (born with)

 

contra-

against

contraindication (against what is indicated)

 

cyan/o

blue

cyanoderma (slightly bluish, grayish, slatelike, or dark discoloration of the skin)

 

de-

down, from

descend (to come down from)

 

dia-

through

diagnosis (knowledge through testing)

 

dis-

free of, to undo

dislocation (the displacement [undoing] of any part of the body from its normal position)

 

dys-

bad, difficult, painful, disordered

dyspnea (difficult breathing)

 

ecto-

outside

ectopic (outside its normal location—as in an ectopic pregnancy, which occurs in the fallopian tubes instead of the uterus)

 

endo-

within, inner

endoscope (instrument used to look inside the body)

 

eosin/o

red, rosy

eosinophil (bilobed leukocyte that stains a red, rosy color with an acid dye)

 

epi-

upon, over

epigastric (pertaining to the region over the stomach)

 

erythr/o

red

erythrocyte (mature red blood cell)

 

eu-

well, easily, good, normal

eupnea (normal breathing)

 

ex-

out, away from, outside

exhale (to breathe out)

 

exo-

outside, outward

exogenous (originating outside the body)

 

extra-

outside, beyond

extrahepatic (outside of the liver)

 

glauc/o

gray, silver

glaucoma (disorder of the eye due to increased intraocular pressure; creates a dull gray gleam of the affected eye)

 

hemi-

half

hemiplegia (paralysis of one side [half] of the body)

 

hetero-

different

heterogeneous (composed of different or unlike substances)

 

homeo-

likeness, same

homeostasis (a relative constancy [likeness] in the internal environment of the body)

 

homo-

same

homogenesis (having the same origins) hydro- water hydrocephalus (an abnormal accumulation of fluid [water] within the head)

 

hyp-

under, below, beneath, less than normal

hypoxemia (less than normal blood oxygen level)

 

hyper-

excessive

hyperemesis (excessive vomiting)

 

hypo-

under, below, beneath, less than normal

hypoglycemia (less than normal blood sugar; low blood sugar level)

 

idio-

individual

idiosyncrasy (an individual sensitivity to effects of a drug caused by inherited or other bodily constitution factors)

 

im-

not

impotence (an adult male’s inability [not able] to achieve penile erection)

 

in-

in, inside, within, not

incompetent (not capable) inborn (acquired during intrauterine life)

 

infra-

beneath, below, under

infraorbital (beneath the bony cavity in which the eyeball is located) inter- between intercostal (between the ribs)

 

intra-

within

intravenous (within a vein)

 

jaund/o

yellow

jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin)

 

juxta-

near, beside

juxtaarticular (pertaining to a location near a joint

 

 

leuk/o

white

leukoplakia (white, hard, thickened patches firmly attached to the mucous membrane in areas such as the mouth, vulva, or penis)

 

melan/o

black

melanoma (a darkly pigmented cancerous tumor)

 

meso-

middle

mesoderm (the middle of the three layers of the skin)

 

meta-

beyond, after

metacarpals (pertaining to the bones after the carpal [wrist] bones; i.e., the hand bones)

 

milli-

one-thousandth

milliliter (one-thousandth of a liter)

 

mono-

one

monocyte (a white cell with a singular nucleus)

 

multi-

many

multipara (to bear many “children”)

 

non-

not

noninvasive (pertaining to a diagnostic or therapeutic technique that does not require the skin to be broken [not invaded] or a cavity or organ to be entered)

 

pan-

all

pancarditis (inflammation of the entire heart [all])

 

para-

near, beside, beyond, two like parts

paracervical (near, or beside, the cervix)

 

per-

through

percussion (striking through)

 

peri-

around

perianal (around the anus)

 

poli/o

gray

poliomyelitis (inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord)

 

poly-

many, much, excessive

polyarthritis (inflammation of many joints) polyuria (the excretion of large amounts of [much] urine)

 

post-

after, behind

postcibal (after meals) pre- before, in front precordial (the region “of the chest wall” in front of the heart)

 

primi-

first

primigravida (first pregnancy)

 

pseudo-

false

pseudoanorexia (“false anorexia”; a condition in which individual eats secretly while claiming a lack of appetite and inability to eat)

 

purpur/

purple

purpura (collection of blood beneath the skin in the form of pinpoint hemorrhages appearing as red/purple skin discolorations)

 

quadri-

four

quadriplegia (paralysis of all four extremities)

 

re-

back, again

reactivate (to make active again)

 

retro-

backward, behind

retrocecal (pertaining to the region behind the cecum)

 

rube-

red

rubella (a contagious viral disease characterized by fever, coldlike symptoms, and a diffuse, fine red rash [also German measles])

 

semi–

half

semiconscious (half conscious)

 

sub–

under, below

subcutaneous (under the skin)

 

supra–

above, over

suprapubic (above, or over, the pubic area)

 

sym-

joined, together

sympathetic (displaying compassion for another’s grief; literally, “joined in disease”)

 

syn-

joined, together

syndrome (a group of symptoms joined by a common cause; “running together”)

 

tachy-

rapid

tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)

 

trans-

across, through

transurethral (across, or through, the urethra)

 

tri-

three

triceps (“a muscle” having three heads)

 

ultra-

beyond, excess

ultrasound (sound waves at the very high frequency of more than 20,000 vibrations per second)

 

uni-

one

uninuclear (“a cell” having one nucleus)

 

xanth/o

yellow

xanthoderma (any yellow coloration of the skin)

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