Helpful Prefixes and Suffixes

A-/In-

not

(Ex. avascular is not vascular, involuntary is not voluntary).

Adipo-

fat

(Ex. adipocyte is a fat cell).

Ante-

before

(Ex. antebrachial is your forearm - before your arm).

Auto-

self

(Ex. autonomic, describes something that functions on its own, without conscious input, like your autonomic nervous system).

Brach-

arm

(Ex. brachioradialis is a muscle in your arm near your radius).

Cardio/Cardiac-

heart

(Ex. cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle).

Caudo/Cauda-

tail

(Ex. caudal is used to designate “toward the tail”).

Cephal-

head

(Ex. cephalad is used to designate “toward the head”).

-ceps

number of muscle origins

(Ex. biceps femoris is the muscle near your femur with two origins - same root as “cephal”).

Cervic-

neck

(Ex. cervical vertebrae are in your neck).

Chondro-

cartilage

(Ex. chondrocytes make the cartilage they’re embedded in).

Cleido-

clavicle

(Ex. sternocleidomastoid is the muscle attached to the sternum, clavicle, and mastoid process).

Costal-

ribs

(Ex. costal cartilage is rib cartilage).

Crani-

skull

(Ex. epicranius is the muscle on top of the cranium).

Cyst-

bladder

(Ex. cystitis is bladder inflammation - can be used to describe urinary bladder OR gall bladder).

Cyte/Cytic

cell

(Ex. adipocyte is a fat cell).

Endo-

within/inside

(Ex. the endocrine system deals with hormones secreted internally).

Epi-/Supra-

above

(Ex. the epigastric region is above your stomach).

Exo/Extra

outside

(Ex. the exocrine gland deals with secretions to the external environment; the extracellular matrix is outside the cells).

Gastric/Gastro

stomach

(Ex. the epigastric region is above your stomach).

-Genesis/-Poiesis

making of

(Ex. gluconeogenesis is making new glucose; hematopoiesis is making new blood cells).

Hemato-

blood

(Ex. hematopoiesis is making new blood cells).

Hypo-

below, under

(Ex. the hypogastric region is under the stomach).

Inter-

between

(Ex. the interventricular septum is found between the ventricles).

Intra-

within

-itis

inflammation

(Ex. cystitis is bladder inflammation).

Lacrima-

tears

(Ex. lacrimal bone surrounds your tear ducts).

Leuko-

white

(Ex. leukocytes are white blood cells).

Medulla

middle

(Ex. the medulla of the adrenal glands is in the middle).

Mid/Mes

middle

(Ex. midbrain, mesencephalon)

Mono/Uni

one

(Ex. unicellular describes something that is only one cell).

Multi-

many

(Ex. multinucleated cells have multiple nuclei).

Myo-

muscle

(Ex. myocardium is heart muscle).

Neo-

new

(Ex. gluconeogenesis is the production of new glucose).

Neur-

nerves

(Ex. the neuromuscular junction is the junction between nerve and muscle).

Optic/Ocular

eyes

(Ex. optic nerve, ocular muscles).

-Osis

abnormal

(Ex. osteoporosis is abnormally porous bone).

Osteo-

bone

(Ex. osteoporosis is abnormally porous bone).

-Pathy/-Pathic

disease

(Ex. myopathy is a disease of the muscle).

Peri-

around

(Ex. periosteum surrounds the bone).

Proteo-

protein

(Ex. proteoglycans are proteins and glucose).

Sub-

below

Supra-

above

(Ex. suprachiasmatic nucleus is above the optic chiasm).

Thorac-

chest

(Ex. thoracic vertebrae are at the level of your chest).

Trans-

across