Medical Terminology Prefixes and Suffixes

a, an

lack of, without, not

ante

before, in front of, or forward

co, con, com

together, or with

de

down, or from

myo

muscle

neuro

nerve

oculo

eye

di

twice or two

extra, exto

beyond, outside of, or outward

hemi, semi

half or half of

hyper

above, excessive, beyond

encephalo

brain

gastro

stomach

hemato

blood

histo, histio

tissue

intestino

intestine

bi

two

uni

one

ab

away from

ad

toward

macro

large

micro, micr

tiny, small

post

after, or following, behind

pre, pro

in front of, before, proceding

retro

behind, backward

semi

half

anti

opposing or against

trans

through or accross

tri

three

brachio

arm

cardio

heart

cyto

cell

derma, dermo, dermato

skin

laparo

abdomen, loin, or flank

ophthalmo

eye

oro

mouth

oto

ear

pulmono

lungs

mono

one

ecto, exo

outside

endo

inside

epi

upon

ultra

excessive, beyond

hypo

deficient

infra

below or beneath

inter

between

intra

within, inside

intro

into or within

ac, ic, al, ous, tic

related to, or pertaining to

ate, ize

subject to, use

ism

condition or theory

ent, er, ist

person, agent

genic

produced by

gram

a written record

graph

instrument used to record

itis

inflammation

ologist

one who studies, specialist

ology

study of, process of study

oma

tumor

pathy

disease, disease process

phobia

morbid fear of or intolerance

scope

instrument used to visually examine

scopy

process of visual examination

algia

pain

emia

blood

lysis

a breaking down

opathy

relating to disease

pnea

relating to breathing