Prefixes

a-, an-

without or absence of

ab-

from or away from

acro-

top, summit, furthest out; extremities

ad-

to or toward

aer- or aero-

air

alb-

white

ana-

up, again, backward

ante-

before

anti-

against

api-

upon or on top of

apo-

off

arachn-

spider

auto-

self

bi-

two

bio-

life

brachy-

short

centi-

hundredth part

chemo-

chemical

co- or con-

with

contra-

against

cyto-

cell

de-

from, down, lack of

desmo-

fetter or band

dextro-

to the right

di-

2 or double

dia-

through, throughout, completely

dis-

not, free from, to undo

dys-

inability or lack of or difficulty

echo-

sound

eco-

environment

ect- or ecto-

outer or outside

electro-

using electricity

en-, end-, endo-

inside or within

entero-

intestine or the gut

epi-

on, upon, at, by, near, over, on top of, toward, against, among

ergo-

work

eu-

goodly or well, also, normal, or true

ex-, exo-

out of, outer, away from

extra-

outside of beyond

ferro-

iron

fore-

in front of, ahead of

gastr-

stomach

geno-

gene, genetic

gyn-, gyne-, gyneco-, gyno-

woman, womanlike, womanly

helic-, helico-

spiral

hemi-

half

hetero-

different or other

hex-, hexo-

six

histo-

tissue

homo-

same

hydo-

water, fluid

hyper-

above, excessive

hypn, hypno-

sleep

hypo-

below, deficient, incomplete

iatr-

referring to a physician or to medicine

ichthy-

fish, fishlike

im-

into

in-

not, into

infra-

under, below

inter-

between

intra-

inside

ipsi-

the same

iso-

equal, or like

juxta-

near, nearby, close

karyo-

nucleus

kerato-

may refer to the cornea or to hard horn-y tissue

keto-

ketone

kilo-

thosand

lact-

milk, lactose

later-

side

lati-

width

leuko-, leuk-

white, refers to white blood cells

lip-, lipo-

fat

litho-

stone

longi-

length

lys-, lyso-

destroy, break apart

macro-

large or long

mal-

bad or badly

mega-

great or huge, abnormally large

meso-

middle

meta-

after

micro-

small or short

mili-

thousandth

mono-

one or single

multi-

several, many

neo-

new, young, recent

nulli-

none

oligo-

just a few, scanty

omni-

all

omphal-

the umbilicus or navel

onycho-

having to do with the nails

ortho-

straight or erect

osteo-

bones

oto-

ear

pachy-

elephant (like)

pan-

all

para-

beside, near, resembling, beyond, apart from, abnormal

patho-

suffering or disease

per-

through

peri-

surrounding or around