Medical Terminology - Prefixes

Prefix

The beginning (descriptive)

Location, Direction, Number, Quantity, Amount, Size, Color etc.

Root

The middle (subject)

Often pertains to a body part or system

Suffix

The ending (meaning)

Disease, Disorder, Condition, Procedure, Process, Specialty, Test etc.

Mono-

One

Uni-

One

Bi-/Di-/Diplo-

Two

Tri-

Three

Qua(dr/r/t)-

Four

Semi-

Half

Hemi-

Half, One Side

Equi-/lso-

Equal

Eu-

Normal

Normo-

Normal

Hyper-

Above normal

Hypo-

Below normal

A-/An-

Absent, lacking

Pan-

All

Omni-

All

Multi-

Many

Poly-

Many

Micro-

Small

Macro-

Large

Megalo-

Large

Oilgo-

Few

Chromo-/Chromato-

Color

Alb-

Pale

Chloro-

Green

Cyano-

Blue

Erythro-

Red

Glauco-

Gray

Leuko-

White

Melano-

Black

Polio-

Gray

Porphyr-

Purple

Rhodo-

Rose-Red

Xantho-

Yellow

Pre-

Before

Post-

After

Pro-

Before

Ante-

Before

Re-

Again

Retro-

Back/Backward

Neo-

New

Chrono-

Time

Tachy-

Fast

Brady-

Slow

Epi-

Above

Hyper-

Above

Supra-

Above

Super-

Above

Sub-

Below

Hypo-

Below

Infra-

Below

Dextro-

Right

Levo-

Left

Sinistro-

Left

Ante-

Anterior

Antero-

Anterior

Ventri-/Ventro-

Anterior

Postero-

Posterior

Dorsi-/Dorso-

Posterior

Peri-

Around

Circum-

Around

Endo-

Inside

Intra-

Inside

Intro-

Inside

Exo-

Outside

Extra-

Outside

Extro-

Outside

Ab-

Away

Ad-

Toward

Trans-

Through

Meso-

Middle

Medi(o/a)-

Middle

Latero-

Lateral

Para-

Nearby

Juxta-

Next to

Inter-

Between

Ambi-/Amphi

Both

Ipsi-

Same

Contra-

Against