Prefixes, Suffixes, and root words

An-

An-

Without, lack of

(anaerobic - without oxygen)

A-

Without, lack of

(Aphasia - lack of speech)

Ab-

Away from

(abductor - leading away from)

-able

Capable

(viable - capable of living)

Acou-

Hearing

(Acoustics - science of sound)

Acr-

Extremity

(Acromegaly - large extremity)

Ad-

To, towards, near to

(Adrenal - towards kidney)

Adeno-

Gland

(Adenoma - glandular tumor)

-al

Expressing relationship

(Cardial - referring to heart)

-algia

Pain

(gastralgia - stomach pain)

Angio-

Vessel

(Angiography - radiography of blood vessels)

Ante-

Before, forward

(Antecubital - before elbow)

Anti-

Against, reversed

(antihero - against the hero)

Arthr-

Joint

(arthritis - inflammation of joints)

-ary

Associated with

(urinary - associated with urine)

-asis

Condition, state of

(homeostasis - state of staying the same)

Auto-

Self

(Autotroph - makes own energy)

Bi-

Twice, double

(bipolar - 2 moods)

Bio-

Live

(biology - study of life)

-blast

Bud, germ

(fibroplast - fiber producing cell)

Brady-

Slow

(bradycardia - slow heart rate)

-c

Expressing relationship

(cardiac - referring to heart)

Carcin-

Cancer

(carcinogen - cancer causing)

Cardio-

Heart

(cardiopathy - heart disease)

Cata-

Down, according to

(Catabolism - breaking down)

Cephal-

Head

(cephalic - towards the head)

-cele

Hollow

(blastocele - hollow cavity in blactocyst)

Cerebro-

Brain

(cerebrospinal - brain and spinal cord)

Chol-

Bile

(Acholic - without bile)

Cholecyst-

Gallbladder

(cholecyst - hormone causing gallbladder to contract)

Chondr-

Cartilage

(Chondrocyte - cartilage cell)

-cide

kill

(bactericide - kills bacteria)

circum-

around, about

(circumference - outside of circle)

-clast

smash, break

(Osteoclast - breaks down bones)

co-, com-, con-

with, together

(Coenzyme - with an enzyme)

contra-

against, opposite

(contrary - opposite)

crypto-

hidden

(cryptocurrancy is hidden)

cysto-

bladder, sac

(Cystocele - hernia of bladder)

-cyte

cell

(Erythrocyte - red blood cell)

Cyto-

cell

(Cytoskeleton - skeleton of a cell)

de-

away from

(dehydrate - remove water)

derm-

skin

(dermotologist - doctor of skin)

di-

two

(Diploid - 2 chromosomes)

dia-

through, apart, across

(Diaspora - separate and split)

dis-

reversal, apart from

(Dissmantle - take apart)

-duct

leading, drawing

(Abduct - lead away from)

-dynia

pain

(mastodynia - breast pain)

dys-

difficult

(Dysfunctional - hard to function family)

e-

out, away from

(Eviscerate - take out viscera)

ec-

out from

(Ectopic - out of place)

ecto-

on outerside

(Ectoderm - outer skin)

-ectomy

cut out

(Appendectomy - cut out appendix)

-edem-

swell

(myoedema - swelling of a muscle)

em-

in

(Empyema - pus in)

En-

In

(Enternal - inside)

-emia

blood

(anemia - too little blood)

endo-

within

(Endothermic - heat within)

entero-

intestine

(enteritis - inflammation of intestine)

epi-

upon, on

(epidermis - on the skin)

erythro-

red

(erythrocyte - red blood cell)

eu-

well, good

(Euphoria - well being)

ex-

out, away from

(exhale - breathe out)

exo-

outside, on outerside

(exotherm - energy from outside)

extra-

outside

(extracellular - outside)

-ferent

carry

(afferent - carrying to the CNS)

-form

expressing resemblance

(Fusiform - resembling a fusion)

gastro-

stomach

(Gastronomy - study of good eating)

-genesis

produce, origin

(genesis is the origin in the Bible)

gloss-

tongue

(hypoglossal - under the tongue)

glyco-

sugar, sweet

(glycolysis - sugar break down)

-gram

a drawing

(myogram - drawing of a muscle contraction)

-graph

instrument that records

(myograph - instrument that measures muscle contraction)

hem-

blood

(hemoglobin - blood cell)

hemi-

half

(hemisphere - half of earth)

hepato-

liver

(hepatitis - inflammation of the liver)

hetero-

different, other

(Heterosexual - likes other sex)

hist-

tissue

(histology - study of tissue)

homeo-, homo-

same

(homosexual - same sex)

hydro-

wet, water

(hydration - take in water)

hyper-

over, above, excessive

(hyperextend - over extend)

hypo-

under, below, deficient

(hypotension - low blood pressure)

-ia

expressing condition

(Neuralgia - pain in nerve)

-id

expressing condition

(flaccid - state of being weak)

-iatr-

treat, cure

(pediatrics - treats children)

im-

not (impermeadble - not permeable)

in-

in, into

(in)

infra-

below, beneath

(Infrastructure - beneath the structure)

inter-

between

(intergender - between genders)

intra-

within

Intraocular - within the eye)

-ism

condition, state of

(autism - condition of autism)

iso-

equal, the same

(isosceles - same angle triangle)

-itis

inflammation

(arthritis - inflammation of joints)

-ity

expressing condition

(acidity - condition of acid)

kerato-

cornea or hard tissue

(keratinization - foramtion of a hard tissue)

-kin-

move

(Kinesiology - study of movement)

Leuko-

white

(Leukemia - affects white blood cells)

-liga-

bind

(ligament - binds bone to bone)

lip-

fat

(lipid - fat structure)

-logy

study

(biology - study of life)

-lysis

breaking up, dissolving

(catalysis - breaks down enzymes)