Pre-Fixes and Suffixes

a-, an-, ar-

without or not

ad-

near, toward

ab-

away from

ante-

against

inter-

between

brady-

slow

dis-

undone from

dys-

painful or difficult

hemo-

blood

hyper-

too much, high

hypo-

not enough, low; under

intra-

within

lip-

fat

mal-

bad

poly-

many, much

pre-

before

pro-

in front of, before

post-

after, behind

noct-

night

pyo-

pus

megaol-, -megaly

large (enlarged)

-ectomy

to excise surgically

-itis

inflammation

-lysis

destruction

-ostomy

new permanent opening

-otomy

cutting into (making an incision)

-orrhea

flow or discharge

-orrhaphy

surgical repair

-oma

tumor (or swelling)

-pnea

breathing, lungs

-plasty

plastic surgery

-plegia

paralysis

-centesi

surgical puncture to remove fluid

-plasia

growth (cells)