Medical Prefixes and Their Meanings

This set of flashcards covers medical prefixes, their meanings, and examples of their use.

a-, an

No, not, without; negates the meaning (e.g., atypical, anoxia)

ab-

Away from; from (e.g., abduction)

ad-

Toward, at, increase, on, toward (e.g., adduction)

ante-

Before (e.g., antepartum)

anti-

Against, opposing (e.g., antipsychotic)

bi-, bin-

Two, twice, double (e.g., bilateral, binocular)

brady-

Slow (e.g., bradycardia)

de-

From, down, away from (e.g., dehydrate)

dia-

Through, complete (e.g., dialysis)

dys-

Painful, abnormal, difficult, laboured (e.g., dysphagia)

endo-

Within, in (e.g., endotracheal)

epi-

On, upon, over (e.g., epidermis)

eu-

Normal, good (e.g., eupnea)

hemi-

Half (e.g., hemicolectomy)

hyper-

Above, excessive (e.g., hyperthyroidism)

hypo-

Below, incomplete, deficient, under (e.g., hypoglycemia)

inter-

Between (e.g., intercostal)

intra-

Within, in (e.g., intramuscular)

macro-

Large, long (e.g., macrocephalus)

meta-

After, beyond, change (e.g., metacarpal bones)

micro-

Small (e.g., microscope)

multi-

Many (e.g., multipara)

neo-

New (e.g., neonate)

nulli-

None (e.g., nulligravida)

pachy-

Thick, thickening, thickened (e.g., pachyderma)

pan-

All, total (e.g., pancytopenia)

para-

Beside, beyond, around, abnormal (e.g., parathyroid glands)

per-

Through (e.g., percutaneous)

peri-

Surrounding (outer) (e.g., peripheral vision)

poly-

Many, much (e.g., polymyositis)

post-

After (e.g., postpartum)

pre-

Before (e.g., prenatal)

pro-

Before (e.g., prognosis)

sub-

Below, under (e.g., subcutaneous)

supra-

Above (e.g., suprascapular)

sym-, syn-

Together, joined (e.g., symphysis)

tachy-

Fast, rapid (e.g., tachycardia)

trans-

Through, across, beyond (e.g., transdermal)

tri-

Three (e.g., triceps)

uni-

One.