Medical Terminology Prefixes

a-, an, ir-, ar-

without, lakc of, no-, not '

an/emia: lack of blood

ir/regular: not normal

ab-, ef-

away from

ab/norm/al: away/normal/ refers to

ad-, af-:

to, toward

adhesion: to stick/process of

ambi-

both, double, two

ambi/dextr/ous: both right refers to

ana-

apart, back, again

ana/tom/y: cutting/apart/procedure of

ante-

before, in front of

anti-

against, reversed

anti/sepsis: against/ infection or poison

bi-, bin-, si-, diplo-, co-

two, twice, double

bi.fo/al: two foci refers

cata-

down, under, against

cata/bol/ism : down lump state of

circum-

around, about, circle

com-, con-, co-

together, with, both(two)

co/lateral

contra-

against, opposite

contra/cept/ion: against conception refers

de-

away from, remove d

dia-

between, across, complete, total, apart, through

diap/phragm :across/wall

dia/gnosis: complete knowledge

dis-

apart or away from, reverse

e-, ec-, ecto-

out, to remove, protrude, out from, on outer side

ec/topic: out of place

ecto/derm: outer skin

em-, en-, endo-

in, within

endo/metrium

epi-

upon on

epi/derm/is: upon skin refers to

ex-, exo-

upon on, outside, on outer side, outer layer

exo/gen/ous

extra-

outside

extra/cellul/ar

hyper-

excessive, more than, above, over moreh

hypo-

under, below, deficient, low, lesser

im-, in-

in, into, or not

immature

incission

infra-

below, under

infra clavicul ar

inter-

between

intercostal

intra-

within

intracerebral

intro-, into-

within, in, into, inward

introversion

meta-

beyond, after, change

metacarpal

metabolism

para-

beside, near, beyond

paracardiac

per-

through, excessive, in

permeate : through opening

peri-

around

pero/oste/um: around bone refers to

post-

after

postpartum

pre-,pro-

before, in front of

prognosis

re-

back, again, contrary

reflex

retro-

backward, behind

retrograde

sub-

under, low, beneath

subcutaneous

super-

above, upper, upon, excessive

supra-

above, upper, upon, excessive

suprasternal

sym-, syn-

together, with

syndrome: together/run

trans-

across, through, beyond

transection

ultra-

beyond, in excess

the vowel most frequently used in combining forms?

o

other vows used in combining forms:

a,e,i,o,u,y, io, eo, ie