CCMA Medical Terminology Prefixes

Medical Terminology For Healthcare Professions

Common Prefixes

2-30

A-

Without

An-

Lacking

Andr/o-

Male

Anti- 

Against

Auto-

Self

Bio-

Life

Chem/o-

Chemistry

Contra-

Against

Cyt/o-

Cell

Dis-

Separation

Dys-

Difficult

Eu-

Good

Fibr/o-

Fiber

Gluco-

Glucose

Glyco-

Sugar

Gyn/o-, Gynec-

Female

Hydr/o-

Water

Idio-

Self

Lyso-

Break down

Lys-

Destruction

Mal-

Bad

Myc/o-

Fungus

Necr/o-

Death

Neo-

New

Oxy- (3 terms)

Sharp, Acute, Oxygen

Pan-, Pant/o-

All or everywhere

Pharmaco-

Drug

Re-

Again

Somat/o-, Somatico-

Body

Body Part Prefixes

32-120

Acous/o-

Hearing

Aden/o- Adren/o

Gland

Adip/o-

Fat

Angi/o-

Blood vessel

Arteri/o-

Artery

Arthr/o-

Joint

Bucc/o-

Cheek

Bronch/i-

Bronchus

Burs/o-

Bursa

Carcin/o-

Cancer

Cardi/o- / Coron-

Heart

Cephal/o-

Head

Chol-

Bile

Chondri-

Cartilage

Cost-

Rib

Crani/o-

Brain

Cutane-

Skin

Cyst/o-, Cysti-

Bladder or sac

Derm-, Dermat/o-

Skin

Duoden/o-

Duodenum

Gastr-

Stomach

Gloss-

Tongue

Hem-, Hema-, Hemat-, Hemo-, Hemat/o-

Blood

Hepat/o-, Hepatico-

Liver

Hist/o-, Histio-

Tissue

Hyster/o-

Uterus

Ileo-

Ileum

Ischi/o-

Ischium

Kerat/o-

Cornea

Lacrim/o-

Tear

Lact/o-, Lacti-

Milk

Laryng/o-

Larynx

Lingu/o-

Tongue

Lip/o-

Fat

Lymph/o-

Lymph

Mamm-, Mast/o-

Breast

Mening/o-

Meninges

Muscul/o- My/o-

Muscle

Myel/o-

Spinal cord or bone marrow

Nephr/o-

Kidney

Neur/i-, Neur/o-

Nerve

Oculo-

Eye

Onco-

Tumor

Onych/o-

Fingernail, Toenail

Oo-

Egg, Ovary

Oophor/o-

Ovary

Op-, Opt-

Vision

Ophthalm/o-

Eye

Orchid/o-, Orchio-

Testis

Orth/o-

Straight

Osseo-

Bony

Ossi-, Ost-, Oste/o-

Bone

Ot/o-

Ear

Phalang-

Phalanx

Pharyng/o-

Throat

Phleb/o-

Vein

Phren/i-, Phreno-, Phrenico-

Diaphragm

Pleur-, Pleur/a-, Pleur/o-

pleura

Pneum/a- Pneumat/o-

Lung

Proct/o-

Anus

Prostat-

Prostate

Pseudo-

False

Psych/o-, Psyche-

Mind

Radio-

Radius

Ren/o-

Kidney

Retin-

Retina

Rhin/o-

Nose