Ch 3: Prefixes

epi- (epi/derm/is) (epi/gastr/ic)

above (above the stomach)

hypo- (hypo/glyc/emia)

under, deficient (low blood sugar condition)

infra- (infra/orbit/al)

below (below eye socket)

sub- (sub/cutane/ous)

under (under the skin)

inter- (inter/cost/al)

between (between ribs)

retro- (retro/cervic/al)

behind (behind cervix)

pre- (pre/nat/al)

before (before birth)

post- (post/nat/al)

after (after birth)

pro- (pro/gnosis)

before (before knowledge; prediction)

mono- (mono/plegia)

one (paralysis of one limb)

uni- (uni/later/al)

one (one side)

bi- (bi/ceps)

two (two muscle heads)

tri- (tri/cusp/id)

three (three leaflets, “doors”)

quadri- (quadri/plegia)

four (paralysis of all four limbs)

diplo- (diplo/bacteri/al)

double (bacteria occuring in pairs)

hemi- (hemi/plegia)

one half (paralysis on one half of body)

macro- (macro/card/ia)

large (large heart condition)

micro- (micro/card/ia)

small (small heart condition)

multi- (multi/lob/ar)

many (many lobes)

poly- (poly/dactyl/y)

many (many fingers or toes condition)

hyper- (hyper/thyroid/ism)

excessive (excessive thyroid activity condition)

primi- (primi/gravida)

first (women being pregnant for the first time)

circum- (circum/duction)

around (movement in circular path)

peri- (peri/oste/um)

around (membrane around bone)

dia- (dia/rrhea)

through, across

trans- (trans/vagina/al)

through, across (through vagina)

endo- (endo/scopy)

in, within (visual examination of inside the body)

intra- (intra/muscul/ar)

in, within (within muscle)

ecto- (ectro/derm)

outside (outermost cell layer of embryo)

exo- (exo/skeleton)

outside (skeleton outside of body)

extra- (extra/cellul/ar)

outside (outside cell)

para- (para/nas/al)

beside (beside nose)

ultra- (ultra/violet)

beyond (beyond violet end of spectrum)

super- (super/ior)

above

supra- (supra/ren/al)

above (above kidney)

ab- (ab/norm/al)

away from (away from normal)

ad- (ad/ren/al)

towards (towards kidney)

a- (a/mast/ia)

without (without breast condition)

an- (an/emia)

without (lack of blood condition)

anti- (anti/bio/tic)

against (medication used to destroy bacteria life)

contra- (contra/cept/ion)

against (prevention of conceiving)

brady- (brady/lalia)

slow (slow speech)

tachy- (tachy/card/ia)

rapid (fast heart beat)

dys- (dys/uria)

painful, difficult (painful urination condition)

mal- (mal/nutrit/ion)

bad (bad nutrition)

eu- (eu/pnea)

normal (normal breathing)

hetero- (hetero/graft)

different

homo- (homo/log/ous)

same

homeo- (homeo/stasis)

same

pan (pan/dem/ic)

all (affecting all people; disease outbreak)

pseudo- (pseudo/stenosis)

false (false impression of narrowing)

syn- (syn/dactyl/y)

joined (fingers or toes joined together condition)