Pref. IRSC Medical Terminology - Chapter 1.1 + 1.2 Prefixes

Open Source Library - Indian River State College's Medical Terminology 2E

Prefix

Word at the beginning of a medical term that changes the meaning of the word root

Word Root

the foundational meaning of a word.

Suffix

a word part added to the end of a word that changes the meaning of the word root.

Combining Form Vowel

The combining form vowel is used to join word parts and to ease pronunciation. The most common combining form vowel is an "o" but sometimes it is an "i" or an "e".

Combining Form

A word root with a combining form vowel.

Osteoarthritis (word parts)

Oste/o/arthr/itis - Inflammation of bone and joint.

Oste/o is a combining form that means bone.

arthr/o is a combining form that means joint.

-itis is a suffix that means inflammation.

Intravenous (word parts)

Intra/ven/ous - Pertaining to within the vein.

Intra- is a prefix that means within

ven/o - is a combining form that means vein

-ous is a suffix that means pertaining to.

Medical Term Language Rule #1

When joining two combining forms, you KEEP the combining form vowel.

ex. Gastroenterology - The study of the stomach and intestines.

Following rule #1, when we join combining form gastr/o (meaning stomach) with the form enter/o (meaning intestines), we keep the combining form vowel o.

Medical Term Language Rule #2

When combining a combining form with a suffix that begins with a consonant, you KEEP the combining form vowel.

ex. Gastr/o/enter/o/logy - The study of the stomach and intestines.

Following rule 2, when we join the combining form enter/o (meaning intestines) with the suffix -logy (that starts with a consonant and means the study of), we keep the combining form vowel o.

Medical Term Language Rule #3

When combining a combining form with a suffix that begins with a vowel, you DROP the combining form vowel.

Ex. Intra/ven/ous - Pertaining to within the vein

Following rule 3, notice that when combining the combining form ven/o (meaning vein) with the suffix -ous (that starts with a vowel and means pertaining to), we drop the combining form vowel used.

Medical Term Language Rule #4

If a prefix goes at the beginning of the word, no combining vowel is used.

Ex. Intra/ven/ous - Pertaining to within the vein.

Following rule 4, the prefix intra- (meaning within) is at the beginning of the medical term with no combining form vowel used.`

Medical Term Language Rule #5

When defining a medical word, start with the suffix first then work left to right stating the word parts.

You may need to add filler words.

As long as the filler word does not change the meaning of the word, you may use it for the purpose of building a medical vocabulary. Once you start to the apply the word in the context of a sentence, it will be easier to decide which filler word(s) to use.

Prefix "a-, an" means

No, not, without, negates the meaning.

ex. atypical, anoxia (without oxygen)

Prefix "ab-" means

away from, from.

ex. abduction (movement away from the midline of the body)

Prefix "ad-" means

toward, at increase, on.

ex. adduction (movement toward the midline of the body)

Prefix "ante-" means

before

ex. antepartum (before childbirth)

Prefix "anti-" means

against, opposing

ex. antipsychotic (against (modifying) psychosis)

Prefix "bi-, bin-" means

two, twice, double.

ex. binocular (pertaining to two or both eyes), bilateral (pertaining to both sides)

Prefix "brady-" means

slow

ex. Bradycardia (pertaining to a slow hear (rate))

Prefix "de-" means

from, down, away from

ex. dehydrate (lose a large amount of water from the body)

Prefix "dia-" means

through, complete.

ex. Dialysis (the process of removing subtances, purifying, adding, and then returning the purified substance.)

In "hemodialysis" blood is removed from an artery, purified, and then re-injected back into the blood stream.

Prefix "dys-" means

painful, abnormal, difficult, laboured

ex. dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)

Prefix "endo-" means

within, in.

ex. endotracheal - pertaining to within the trachea

Prefix "epi-" means

on, upon, over.

ex. epidermis - outerlayer of skin, made of closely packed epithelial cells

Prefix "eu-" means

normal, good

ex. eupnea - normal breathing

Prefix "hemi-" means

half

ex. hemicolectomy (excision of half of the colon)

Prefix "hyper-" means

above, excessive

ex. hyperthyroidism (The state of excessive thyroid hormone production)

Prefix "hypo-" means

below, incomplete, deficient, under

ex. hypoglycemia (deficient sugar in the blood)

Prefix "inter-" means

between.

ex. intercostal (pertaining to between the ribs)

Prefix "intra-" means

within, in

ex. intramuscular (pertaining to within the muscle)

Prefix "macro-" means

large, long

ex. macrocephalus (pertaining to an exceptionally large head or cranium)

Prefix "meta-" means

after, beyond, change

ex. metacarpal bones (the bones that extend beyond the carpal bones of the wrist but before the phalanges of the fingers)

Prefix "micro-" means

small.

ex. microscope (instrument used to view small particles by enlarging the particles)

Prefix "multi-" means

many

ex. multipara (many births, refers to a woman who has birthed two or more live babies)

Prefix "neo-" means

new

ex. neonate (new birth / newborn - birth to four weeks

Prefix "nulli-" means

none

Prefix "pachy-" means

thick, thickening, thickened.

ex. pachyderma (thickened or thick skin

Prefix "pan-" means

all, total

ex. pancytopenia (abnormal reduction or deficiency in all blood cell types)

Prefix "para-" means

beside, beyond, around, abnormal

ex. parathyroid glands (four small endocrine glands that are located beside the thyroid gland)

Prefix "per-" means

through

ex. percutaneous (pertaining to through the skin)

Prefix "peri-" means

surrounding(outer)

ex. peripheral vision (pertaining to the outer sides of the field of vision)

Prefix "poly-" means

many, much

ex. polymyositis (inflammation of many muscles at one time)

Prefix "post-" means

after.

ex. postpartum (after birth)

Prefix "pre-" means

before

ex. prenatal (before birth)

Prefix "pro-" means

before

ex. prognosis (knowledge beforehand. for example, stating what the expected outcome is before all the tests are in.)

Prefix "sub-" means

below, under

ex. subcutaneous (pertaining to below the skin)

Prefix "supra-" means

above

ex. suprascapular (pertaining to above the scapula)

Prefix "sym-, syn-" means

together, joined

ex. symphysis (growing together)

Prefix "tachy-" means

fast, rapid

ex. tachycardia (condition of a fast hear (beat))

Prefix "trans-" means

through, across, beyond

ex. transdermal (pertaining to across the skin)

Prefix "tri-" means

three

ex. triceps (arm muscle has three attachment points (lateral, medial, and long) that join the humerus and scapula to the ulna)

Prefix "uni-" means

one

ex. unilateral (pertaining to one side)