Prefixes and suffixes

Medical Terminology Chapter 1: An Illustrated Guide to Vet Medical Terminology

eponyms

words formed from a person’s name

Prefix

word found at the beginning of a word

usually indicates #, location, time or status

(anatomy of a medical term)

Root

word part that gives the essential meaning of the word

root cannot stand alone

Suffix must be added to complete the term

(anatomy of a medical term)

Combining Vowel

single vowel, usually “o”, added to a root to make the word easier to pronounce

Used when a suffix begins with a consonant or when two or more roots are joined

(anatomy of a medical term)

Combining form

combination of the root + combining vowel

(anatomy of a medical term)

Suffix

word part found at the end of a word.

Usually indicates procedure, condition, disease, or disorder

(anatomy of a medical term)

A-/An-

without or no

(contrasting prefixes)

Atraumatic: without injury

Ab-

Away from

(contrasting prefixes)
Abduction: take away from the midline

Ad-

toward

(contrasting prefixes)

Adduction: move toward the midline

Anti-

against

(contrasting prefixes)

Antiemetics: work against or prevent vomiting

Dys-

difficult, painful or bad

(contrasting prefixes)

Dysphagia: difficulty eating or swallowing

Eu-

good, easy or normal

(contrasting prefixes)

Euthyroid: having a normally functioning thyroid gland

Endo-

within or inside

(contrasting prefixes)

Endocrine: secrete internally

Endoparasite: organism that lives within the body of the host

Ex- or Exo-

without, out of, outside, or away from

(contrasting prefixes)

Exocrine: secrete externally (via a duct)

Ecto-

outside

(contrasting prefixes)

Ectoparasite: organism that lives on the outer surface of the host

Hyper-

elevated, higher, or more than normal

(contrasting prefixes)

Hyperglycemia: elevated amount of blood glucose

Hypo-

depressed, lower, or less than normal

below, under, or decreased

(contrasting and directional prefixes)

Hypoglycemia: depressed amounts of blood glucose

Inter-

between

(contrasting and directional prefixes)

Intercostal: between the ribs

Intra-

within

(contrasting and directional prefixes)

Intramuscular: within the muscle

Poly-

many or excessive

(contrasting prefixes)

Polyuria: excessive amounts or frequency of urination

Oligo-

scant or little

(contrasting prefixes)

Oliguria: scant amount or frequency of urination

Pre-

before

(contrasting prefixes)

Preanesthetic: pertaining to before anesthesia

Post-

after

(contrasting prefixes)

Postanesthetic: pertaining to after anesthesia

Sub-

below, under, or less

(contrasting prefixes)

Sublingual: under the tongue

Super- or Supra-

above, beyond or excessive

increased, more than normal

(contrasting and directional prefixes)

Supernumerary: more than the regular number

Suprascapular: above the shoulder blade

-tomy

cutting into or incision

(Surgical suffix)

Gastrotomy: incision into the stomach

laparotomy: incision into the abdomen

Epi-

upper

(directional prefix)

Extra-

outside

(directional prefix)

Infra-

below or beneath

(directional prefixes)

Meta-

beyond

(directional prefix)

Per-

throughout

(directional prefix)

Trans-

across

(directional prefix)

Ultra-

above, increased, or more than normal

(directional prefix)

-ac

Pertaining to suffix

cardiac: pertaining to the heart

-al

Pertaining to suffix

renal: pertaining to kidney

-an

Pertaining to suffix

ovarian: pertaining to the ovary

-ar

Pertaining to suffix

lumbar: pertaining to lower back, loin

-ary

Pertaining to suffix

alimentary: pertaining to the GI tract

-eal

Pertaining to suffix

laryngeal: pertaining to larynx

-ic

Pertaining to suffix

enteric: pertaining to the small intestine

-ine

Pertaining to suffix

uterine: pertaining to uterus

-ous

Pertaining to suffix

cutaneous: pertaining to the skin

-tic

Pertaining to suffix

nephrotic: pertaining to the kidneys

-ectomy

surgical removal

(surgical suffix)

mastectomy: surgical removal of the breast or mammary glands

-pexy

suture to stabilize

(surgical suffix)

gastropexy: surgically stabilizing the stomach to the abdominal wall

-plasty

surgical repair

(surgical suffix)

rhinoplasty: surgical repair of the nose

-stomy

surgically created opening

(surgical suffix)

colostomy: surgically created opening between the colon and body surface

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid or gas

for diagnosis or for treatment to remove excess fluid or gas

(procedural suffix)

cystocentesis: surgical puncture of the urinary bladder with a needle to remove fluid

-gram

record of

(procedural suffix)

electrocardiogram: electrocardiographic hard copy record

-graph

instrument that records, or used as a record

(procedural suffix)

electrocardiograph: machine that records the electrical activity of the heart

-graphy

procedure that records

(procedural suffix)

electrocardiography: the procedure used to record electrical activity of the heart

-lysis

separation or breakdown

(procedural suffix)

urinalysis: separation of the urine into its constituents

-scope

instrument to visually examine

(procedural suffix)

endoscope: an instrument used to visually examine inside the body

-scopy

procedure to visually examine

(procedural suffix)

endoscopy: procedure to examine inside the body

-therapy

treatment

(procedural suffix)

chemotherapy: treatment with chemical substances or drugs

-rrhagia or -rrhage

bursting forth

(Double R suffix)

hemorrhage: bursting forth of blood from the vessels

-rrhaphy

to suture

(Double R suffix)

enterorrhaphy: suturing of the small intestine

-rrhea

flow, discharge

(Double R suffix)

diarrhea: complete discharge of the bowels

-rrhexis

rupture

(Double R suffix)

myorrhexis: rupture of the muscle

-algia and -dynia

pain

(conditional and structural suffix)

arthralgia: joint pain

arthrodynia: joint pain

-ia

state or condition

(conditional and structural suffix)

hyperglycemia: condition of elevated amounts of blood glucose

-ion

action, process, state or condition

(conditional and structural suffix)

infarction: condition of blood flow obstruction

-itis

inflammation

(conditional and structural suffix)

hepatitis: inflammation of the liver

-ive

performs or tends toward

(conditional and structural suffix)

congestive: tends toward the accumulation of fluid

-malacia

abnormal softening

(conditional and structural suffix)

osteomalacia: abnormal softening of bone

-megaly

enlargement

(conditional and structural suffix)

cardiomegaly: enlargement of the heart

-osis

abnormal condition

(conditional and structural suffix)

cardiosis: an abnormal condition of the heart

-pathy

disease

(conditional and structural suffix)

enteropathy: disease of the small intestine

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

(conditional and structural suffix)

arteriosclerosis: abnormal hardening of the arteries

-um

structure

(conditional and structural suffix)

pericardium: structure surrounding the heart

-us

thing

(conditional and structural suffix)

tarsus: the joint between the tibia and fibula and metatarsal bones

Peri-

Around