Common Medical Prefixes

a- (aphasia)

without (speech)

an- (anoxia)

without (oxygen)

ante- (antepartum)

before (birth)

anti- (antibiotic)

against (life)

auto- (autograft)

self (a graft from one’s own body)

brady- (bradycardia)

slow (heartbeat)

dys- (dyspnea)

difficult (breathing)

endo- (endoscope)

within (instrument to view)

epi- (epigastric)

over (the stomach)

eu- (eupnea)

normal (breathing)

hetero- (heterograft)

different (a graft from another person)

homo- (homoztgous)

same (two genes)

hyper- (hypertrophy)

over (development)

hypo- (hypoglossal)

under (the tongue)

infra- (infraorbital)

under (the eye socket)

inter- (intervertebral)

between (the vertebrae)

macro- (macrocephalic)

large (head)

micro- (microcephalic)

small (head)

neo- (neonate)

new (born)

pan- (pancarditis)

all (inflammation of the heart)

para- (paranasal)

alongside (the nose)

per- (percutaneous)

through (the skin)

peri- (pericardial)

around (the heart)

post- (postpartum)

after (birth)

pre- (prefrontal)

in front of (the frontal bone)

pseudo- (pseudocyesis)

false (pregnancy)

retero- (retrograde)

backward (movement)

sub- (subcutaneous)

under (the skin)

super- (supernumery)

above (the normal number)

supra- (suprapubic)

above (the pubic bone)

tachy- (tachycardia)

rapid (heartbeat)

trans- (transurethral)

across (the urethra)

ultra- (ultrasound)

excess (high-frequency sound waves)

intra- (intravenous)

within (a vein)