Chapter 2 - Prefixes, Roots, Suffixes

a, an

without, not, lack of

ante

before, in front of

analgesic =

without pain

antepartum

before delivery

bi

two, twice, double

bifocal

= two lenses

brady

slow

bradycardia

= slow pulse, heartbeat

contra

against

contraceptive

= prevents pregnancy

dis

apart, free from

disinfected

= free from microorganisms

dys

bad, painful

dysuria

= painful urination

endo

inner

endoscope

= instrument for examining the inside of an organ

epi

on, upon, over

epidermis

= outer layer of skin

erythro

red

erythrocyte

= red blood cell

ex

out, away from

exhale

= to breathe out

hemi

half

hemisphere

= one of two parts of the brain

hyper

too much, high

hypertension

= high blood pressure

hypo

below, under

hypotension

= low blood pressure

inter

between, within

interdisciplinary

= between disciplines

leuk

white

leukocyte

= white blood cell

mal

bad, illness, disorder

malformed

= badly made

micro

small

microscopic

= too small for the eye to see

blig

small, scant

oliguria

= small amount of urine

patho

disease, suffering

pathology

= study of disease

per

by, through

perforate

= to make a hole through

peri

around

pericardium

= sac around the heart

poly

many, much

polyuria

= much urine

post

after, behind

postmortem

= period after death

pre

before, in front of

prenatal

= period before birth

sub

under, beneath

subcutaneous

= beneath the skin

supra

above, over

suprapelvic

= located above the pelvis

tachy

swift, fast, rapid

tachycardia

= rapid heartbeat

abdomin(o)

abdomen

abdominal

= pertaining to the abdomen

aden(o)

gland

adenitis

= inflammation of a gland

angi(o)

vessel

angioplasty

= surgical repair of a vessel using a balloon

arterio

artery

arteriosclerosis

= hardening of artery walls

arthr(o)

joint

arthrotomy

= cut into a joint

brachi(o)

arm

brachial

= pertaining to the arm

bronchi, bronch(o)

bronchus

bronchopneumonia

= inflammation of lungs

card, cardi(o)

heart

cardiology

= study of the heart

cephal(o)

head

cephalalgia

= headache

cerebr(o)

cerebrum

cerebrospinal

= pertaining to the brain and spinal cord

chole, chol(o)

bile

cholecystitis

= inflammation of the gall bladder

colo

colon

colonoscopy

= examination of the large intestine or colon with a scope

cost(o)

rib

costochondral

= pertaining to a rib

crani(o)

skull

craniotomy

= cutting into the skull

cyan(o)

blue

cyanosis

= blue, gray, or purple tinge to the skin due to lack of oxygen in the blood

cyst(o)

bladder, cyst

cystitis

= inflammation of the bladder

derm, derma

skin

dermatitis

= inflammation of the skin

duoden(o)

duodenum

duodenal

= pertaining to the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine

encephal(o)

brain

encephalitis

= inflammation of the brain

gaster(o), gastro

stomach

gastritis

= inflammation of the stomach

geron

aged

gerontology

= study of the aged

gluco

sweet

glucometer

= device used to measure blood glucose