Medical Assistant Prefixes and Suffixes

a-, an-

without

ab-

away, from

ad-

toward

ambi-

both

ante-

before

anti-

against-anti

auto-

self

bi-

two, twice, double

brady-

slow

circum-

around

contra-

against

de-

down

dys-

painful, abnormal, difficult, bad

endo-

within, inside

epi-

above, on

eu-

normal, good

ex, extra-, exo-

outside of

hemi-

half

hyper-

above, excessive, increased

hypo-

below, decreased, insufficient

infra-

beneath

inter-

between, among

intra-

within, during

levo-

to the left

macro-

large

mal-

bad

mega-

exceptionally large

meso-

middle

meta-

over, beyond

micro-

small

mono-

one right

multi-

many

neo-

new

nulli-

none

peri-

around

poly-

many

post-

after, behind

pre-, pro-

before, in front of

presby-

older age

primi-

first

pseudo-

false

quadri-

four

retro-

behind, in back of

sten-

narrowed

sub-

under

super-, supra-

above, excess

sym-, syn-

together, with

tachy-

fast

trans-

across

tri-

three

ultra-

beyond, excess

uni-

one

-age

related to

-cidal, -cide

pertaining to killing

-form

shape

-fuge

driving away

-iatry, -iatrist

healing by a provider, healer

-ical

pertaining to

-ion

process

-logy, -logist

study of, one who studies

-ole

little, small

-opia

vision

-phylaxis

protection, prevention

-pnea

breathing

-therapy

treatment

-uria

urine

-centesis

surgical puncture

-cise

cut, remove

-clasis

break down

-desis

stabilization, binding

-ectomy

removal, excision

-gram

record

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-lepsy

seizure, convulsion

-lysis

destruction, separation

-meter

device for measuring

-metry

process of measuring

-pexy

fixation, to put in place

-plasty

surgical repair, reformation

-scopy

visual examination

-spasm

involuntary twitch, contraction

-stasis

stopping or controlling

-stomy

a new opening

-tomy

incision

-tripsy

crushing

-algia

pain - right

-asthenia

weakness

-cele

swelling, herniation

-dynia

pain

-ectasis

dilation expansion

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

blood condition

-gen

producing

-ia, -ism

condition

-iasis

presence of, formation of

-itis

inflammation

-malacia

weakening of, softening of

-mania

obsessive preoccupation

-megaly

enlargement