2 Prefixes and Suffixes

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the difference between a prefix and a suffix.
  • Differentiate prefixes that deal with body parts, color, and direction.
  • Distinguish suffixes that deal with procedures.

Prefixes

are located at the beginning of a medical term. The prefix alters the meaning of the medical term. It is important to spell and pronounce prefixes correctly.

Many prefixes that you find in medical terms are common to English language prefixes. A good technique to help with memorization is the following:

  • Start by reviewing the most common prefixes.
  • Consider common English language words that begin with the same prefixes.
  • Compare them to the examples of use in medical terms.

Common Prefixes

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
A-, An- Without; Lacking
Andr/o- Male
Anti-  Against
Auto- Self
Bio-  Life 
Chem/o- Chemistry
Contra- Against
Cyt/o- Cell 
Dis- Separation; Taking apart
Dys- Difficult; Abnormal
Eu- Good; Well
Fibr/o- Fiber
Gluco-, Glyco- Glucose; Sugar
Gyn/o-, Gynec- Female
Hydr/o- Water
Idio- Self; One’s own
Lyso-, Lys- Break down; Destruction; Dissolving
Mal- Bad; Abnormal
Myc/o- Fungus
Necr/o- Death
Neo- New
Oxy- Sharp; Acute; Oxygen
Pan-, Pant/o- All or everywhere
Pharmaco- Drug; Medicine
Re- Again; Backward
Somat/o-, Somatico- Body; Bodily

Body Part Prefixes

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
Acous/o- Hearing
Aden/o- Gland
Adip/o- Fat
Adren/o- Gland
Angi/o- Blood vessel
Arteri/o- Artery
Arthr/o- Joint
Bucc/o- Cheek
Bronch/i-
Burs/o-
Carcin/o- Cancer
Cardi/o- Heart
Cephal/o- Head
Chol- Bile
Chondri- Cartilage
Coron- Heart
Cost- Rib
Crani/o- Brain
Cutane- Skin
Cyst/o-, Cysti- Bladder or sac
Derm-, Dermat/o- Skin
Duoden/o-
Gastr- Stomach
Gloss- Tongue
Hem-, Hema-, Hemat-, Hemo-, Hemat/o- Blood
Hepat/o-, Hepatico- Liver
Hist/o-, Histio- Tissue
Hyster/o- Uterus
Ileo-
Ischi/o-
Kerat/o- Corena (eye or skin)
Lacrim/o- Tear (from your eyes)
Lact/o-, Lacti- Milk
Laryng/o-
Lingu/o- Tongue
Lip/o- Fat
Lymph/o- Lymph
Mamm-, Mast/o- Breast
Mening/o-
Muscul/o- Muscle
My/o- Muscle
Myel/o- Spinal cord or bone marrow
Nephr/o- Kidney
Neur/i-, Neur/o- Nerve
Oculo- Eye
Onco- Tumor; Bulk; Volume
Onych/o- Fingernail; Toenail
Oo- Egg; Ovary
Oophor/o- Ovary
Op-, Opt- Vision
Ophthalm/o- Eye
Orchid/o-, Orchio- Testis
Orth/o- Straight; Normal; Correct
Osseo- Bony
Ossi- Bone
Ost-, Oste/o- Bone
Ot/o- Ear
Ovar/i-, Ovario-, Ovi-, Ovo- Ovary
Phalang-
Pharyng/o- Pharynx; Throat
Phleb/o- Vein
Phren/i-, Phreno-, Phrenico- Diaphragm
Pleur-, Pleur/a-, Pleur/o- Rib,
Pneum/a- Pneumat/o- Air; Lung
Proct/o- Anus; Rectum
Prostat- Prostate
Pseudo- False
Psych/o-, Psyche- Mind
Radio- Radiation; Radius
Ren/o- Kidney
Retin- Retina (of the eye)
Rhin/o- Nose
Salping/o- Tube
Sarco- Muscular; Flesh-like
Schiz/o- Split; Cleft
Sclera-, Sclero- Hardness
Sigmoid/o- Sigmoid colon
Sperma-, Spermo-, Spermato- Sperm
Splen/o- Spleen
Sten/o- Narrowed; Blocked
Stern-
Stom/a-, Stomat/o- Mouth
Thorac/o-, Thoracico- Chest
Thromb/o- Blood clot
Thyr/o- Thyroid gland
Trache/o-
Tympan/o- Eardrum
Ur/o- Urine
Vagin- Vagina
Varic/o- Duct; Blood vessel
Vasculo- Blood vessel
Ven/o- Vein
Vertbr- Vertebra; Spine

Color Prefixes

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
Chlor/o- Green
Chrom-, Chromato- Color
Cyano- Blue
Erythr/o- Red
Leuk/o- White
Melan/o- Black

Physical Property and Shape Prefixes

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
Cry/o- Cold
Elect- Electrical activity
Kin/o-, Kine-, Kinesi/o- Movement
Kyphy/o- Humped
Rhabd/o- Rod-shaped; Striated
Phot/o- Light
Reticul/o- Net
Scoli/o- Twisted
Therm/o- Heat

Direction and Position Prefixes

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
Ab-, Abs- Away from
Ad- Towards
Ante- Before; Forward
Circum- Around
Cycl- Circle; Cycle
De- Away from; Ending
Dia- Across; Through
Ect/o-, Exo- Outer; Outside
End/o-, Ent-, Enter/o- Within; Inner
Epi- Upon; Outside of
Ex-, Extra- Beyond
Infra- Beneath; Below
Inter- Between
Intra- Within
Meso- Middle
Meta- Beyond; Change
Para- Alongside; Abnormal
Path/o- Disease
Peri- Around
Post- Behind; After
Pre- Before; In front
Retro- Backward; Behind
Sub- Under
Super- Above
Supra- Above; Upon
Sy-, Syl-, Sym-, Syn-, Sys- Together
Trans- Across; Through

Quantity Prefixes

PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
Bi- Two
Brady- Slow
Diplo- Double
Hemi- Half
Hetero- Other; Different
Homo- Same
Hyper- Above; Beyond; Excessive
Hypo- Under; Deficient
Iso- Equal; Like
Macro- Large; Long; Big
Mic-, Micro- Small
Mon-, Mono- One
Olig/o- Few; Little
Poly- Many; Excessive
Quadri- Four
Semi- Half
Tachy- Fast
Tetra- Four
Tri- Three
Uni- One

Concept Check

  • Do you know the difference between the prefixes inter-, infra-, and intra-?
  • What color is an erythrocyte? A leukocyte?
  • Which prefixes could you use to indicate something is:
    • around something else?
    • within something else?
    • below something else?

Suffixes

are word parts that are located at the end of words. Suffixes can alter the meaning of medical terms. It is important to spell and pronounce suffixes correctly.

Suffixes in medical terms are common to English language suffixes. Suffixes are not always explicitly stated in the definition of a word. It is common that suffixes will not be explicitly stated when defining a medical term in the workplace. However, when transcribing or reading medical reports the suffix is always clearly written. In order to properly spell and pronounce medical terms, it is helpful to learn the suffixes.

Common Suffixes

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
-ac Pertaining to
-blast, -blasto, -blastic Bud; Germ
-cyte, -cytic Cell
-dynia Pain; Swelling
-eal, -ial Pertaining to
-ectasis Expansion; Dilation
-emia Blood condition
-ia Condition
-iasis Condition; Formation of
-ism Condition
-ites, -itis Inflammation
-ity Pertaining to
-ium Structure or tissue
-lysis, -lytic Break down; Destruction; Dissolving
-malacia Softening
-megaly Enlargement
-oid Resembling
-oma Tumor
-osis Condition; Usually abnormal
-ous Pertaining to
-pathy Disease
-penia Deficiency; Lack of
-phagia, -phagy Eating; Swallowing
-phasia Speech
-plasia, -plastic Growth
-plegia Paralysis
-pnea Breathing
-poiesis Production
-ptosis Falling; Drooping
-rrhage, -rrhagic Bleeding
-rrhea Flow or discharge
-sclerosis Hardening
-sis Condition
-stasis Level; Unchanging
-trophy Growth
-uria In the urine

Procedure Suffixes

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
-centesis Surgical puncture to remove fluid
-desis Surgical binding
-ectomy Cut out; Removal
-gram Record; Picture
-graph Instrument used to create a record or picture
-graphy To record or take a picture
-meter Device used for measuring
-opsy Visual examination
-ostomy Opening
-otomy Incision
-pexy Surgical fixation
-plasty Surgical reconstruction
-scope For examining
-scopy Examine

Concept Check

  • Do you know the difference between the suffixes -gram-graph, and -graphy?
  • Which suffixes denote a condition or disease?

Word parts and definitions from “Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean” by MedlinePlus and is under public domain.

Definitions of medical term examples from:

License

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Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions by Andrea Nelson and Katherine Greene is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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