Basic Elements Of A Medical Word: Basic Elements, Prefixes, Suffixes

Front 1

ante

Back 1

before

example:

antepartum = before labor/birth

Front 2

pre

Back 2

before

example:

prenatal = before natal

Front 3

epi

Back 3

above, upon

example:

epidermis = skin

epigastrium = (epigastria) region over the stomach

Front 4

hypo

Back 4

under, beneath, deficiency

examples:

hypodermic - underneath skin

hypogastria - region below stomach

Front 5

hyper

Back 5

above, excessive

examples:

hyperactive = excessive active

hyperglycemia = above sugar level

Front 6

sub

Back 6

under

example:

sublingual = under lingual

Front 7

inter

Back 7

between

example:

interdigital = between adjacent digits (toes/ or fingers)

Front 8

anti

Back 8

against

example:

anticoagulant = agent that suppresses blood coagulation

Front 9

intra

Back 9

around

example:

intrauterine = located within the uterus

Front 10

peri

Back 10

around

examples:

perimeter = around area

periosteum = tissue around bones

pericardium = fibrous sac around heart

Front 11

supra

Back 11

above

examples:

suprarenal - above kidneys (adrenals)

superior

Front 12

de

Back 12

away from

examples:

decontaminate

dehydrate

Front 13

dextro (L. dexter--right, correct)--dextral

Back 13

pertaining to the right

examples:

dexterity

dextrogastria = displacement of stomach to the right

Front 14

sinistro

Back 14

left

example:

sinistral

Front 15

bi

Back 15

two, double, both

example:

bifurcate (L furca-fork) = divides into 2 sections or branches

Front 16

gemini

Back 16

twin

example:

geminus (singular)

twin gemini (plural) twins

Front 17

tri

Back 17

three

example:

trifurcation = divides into three sections or branches

Front 18

quadri

Back 18

four

example:

quadrant = one of four designated regions

Front 19

pan

Back 19

all

examples:

pancarditis = inflammation of entire (all) heart

pericardium - pericarditis

myocardium - myocarditis

endocardium - endocarditis

Front 20

syn, sym (Gr)

Back 20

together

examples:

synergism = working together

syndactyly = adjacent digits webbed

Front 21

nocti/nyct

Back 21

night

examples:

nocturnal = opposite of diurnal

nocturia = excessive night urination

nyctalopia = night blindness

Front 22

post

Back 22

after (time), behind (position or location)

examples:

postoperative

postnasal

Front 23

brachy (Gr. brachys)

Back 23

short

example:

brachpnea = shortness of breath

Front 24

auto

Back 24

self

examples:

autonomic = self controlling

autopsy (auto + opsis/view) = self-view

Front 25

cryo (Gr. kyros)

Back 25

cold

examples:

cryotherapy = therapeutic use of cold agents

cryosurgery = using cold agents to destroy tissue

Front 26

dura (L.),

scirrh (Gr. skirrhos--hard), scler(Gr. skleras--hard)

Back 26

hard

examples:

dura mater (L. hard mother) = outer covering of meninges (the membrane covering brain and spinal cord)

sclera = white portion of eye

Front 27

gyno,

gyneco (Gr. gyne--female

Back 27

female

examples:

gynecology

gynecopathy

Front 28

homeo

(Gr. homoios--like,resembling)

Back 28

unchanged

examples:

homeostasis = tendency to stability in the normal body states (internal environment) of the organism; state of equilibrium,

Front 29

neo

Back 29

new

examples:

neonatal

neoplasm = new growth (usually abnormal)

Front 30

ortho

Back 30

straight

example:

orthodontics

Front 31

steno

Back 31

narrow, constricted

examples:

stenosis = abnormal narrowing or constricting

esophagostenosis

Front 32

algia/dynia(Gr. algos)

Back 32

pain

examples:

gastralgia

myalgia

gastrodynia

Front 33

esthesia (Gr. aesthesia--perception, sensation)

Back 33

sensation

examples:

anesthesia

anesthesiologist

Front 34

iasis

(L. > Gr. indicates a pathologicalcondition; suffix of action)

Back 34

condition

example:

lithiasis = condition of stones

Front 35

itis

(L. > Gr. itis, feminine of ites--pertaining to a native)

Back 35

inflammation

examples:

arthritis

tonsillitis

Front 36

ectasis (Gr. ektasis)

Back 36

distention, dilation, expansion

example:

bronchiectasis

Front 37

oma

(Gr. oma--verb ending)

Back 37

tumor

examples:

carcinoma

adenoma

Front 38

malacia

(Gr. malakia)

Back 38

softness

examples:

cardiomalacia

osteomalacia

Front 39

ptosis (Gr. ptosis--fall)

Back 39

prolapse, downward displacement

examples:

hysteroptosis = prolapsed uterus

cystoptosis = prolapsed urinary bladder into urethra

Front 40

rrhea (Gr. rrhoia--a flowing)

Back 40

discharge, flowing

examples:

menorrhea = discharge of menses

dysmenorrhea = difficult or painful discharge of menses

Front 41

cele

Back 41

hernia, swelling

examples:

myocele

hepatocele

Front 42

emesis

Back 42

vomiting

example:

hyperemesis

Front 43

12. emia--blood

1.

leukemia

Back 43

blood

example:

leukemia = cancer in blood

Front 44

gen, genesis

Back 44

forming, producing, origin

examples:

carcinogen

osteogenesis

Front 45

phasia

Back 45

speech

examples:

aphasia

Front 46

philia

Back 46

attraction to

example:

hemophilia

Front 47

phobia

Back 47

fear

Front 48

plasia (Gr. Plassein)

Back 48

formation, growth

example:

hyperplasia

Front 49

plegia

Back 49

paralysis, stroke

example:

hemiplegia

Front 50

poiesis

Back 50

formation, production

example:

hematopoiesis/hemopoiesis

Front 51

rrhage/rrhagia

Back 51

bursting forth

example:

hemorrhage

Front 52

rrhexis

Back 52

rupture

example:

angiorrhexis

Front 53

stasis

Back 53

static, stoppage

example:

hemostasis

hemostat

Front 54

stenosis

Back 54

narrowing, stricture

example:

esophagostenosis

Front 55

toxic

Back 55

poisonous

example:

thyrotoxis

Front 56

trophy

Back 56

development, nourishment

example:

atrophy

Front 57

lith

Back 57

stone, calculus

example:

cholelith

Front 58

megaly

Back 58

enlargement

example:

cardiomegaly

hepatomegaly

Front 59

meter

Back 59

measurement

example:

thermometer

Front 60

osis

Back 60

abnormal condition

example:

dermatosis

Front 61

pathy (Gr. Pathos)

Back 61

disease

example:

pathology

neuropathy

Front 62

penia

Back 62

decrease, deficiency

example:

leukopenia

Front 63

phagia

Back 63

eating, swallowing

example:

dysphagia

Front 64

centesis

Back 64

a surgical puncture

examples:

amniocentesis

arthrocentesis

Front 65

plasty

(Gr. plassein--tomold; same origin as -plasia--formation, growth

Back 65

surgical repair

examples:

rhinoplasty

mastoplasty

plastic surgery

Front 66

scope/scopy

(Gr. skopein--to view, examine)

Back 66

look, observe

examples:

stethoscope (Gr stethos - chest)

laparoscope

laparoscopy

endoscopy (using an endoscope)

Front 67

ostomy

(Gr. stoma--mouth)

Back 67

surgical creation of an opening

example:

colostomy

Front 68

otomy

(Gr. tome--a cutting)

Back 68

incision

example:

arthrotomy

Front 69

opexy

(Gr. pexis--a putting together)

Back 69

surgical fixtion

examples:

gastropexy

hysteropexy

Front 70

lysis

Back 70

separation, destruction

examples:

hemodialysis

mucolytic

Front 71

tripsy

Back 71

crushing

example:

lithotripsy

Front 72

graph

(Gr. Graphein)

Back 72

instrument for recording

examples:

encephalograph

cardiography

Front 73

graphy

Back 73

process of recording

example:

encephalography

cardiography

Front 74

gram

Back 74

a record or a writing

examples:

encephalogram

cardiogram

Front 75

ician

Back 75

used to form nouns referring to a person associated with an area

Front 76

ology

Back 76

the study of an area

examples:

cardiology

hematology

pathology

Front 77

ologist

Back 77

specialist in an area

examples:

cardiologist

hematologist

pathologist

Front 78

oid

(L. oides > Gr. oeides--of or havingthe shape or nature of; eidos--form, shape)--

Back 78

like, resembling

examples:

android

adenoid