lec 2.1 Medical Terminology: Prefixes Lecture 2 Part 1

Vocabulary flashcards covering common medical prefixes, their meanings, and example terms as discussed in the lecture.

Prefix

A word part that is placed before the word root to modify the meaning of the term.

Nulli-

Indicates 'none'

Nullipara

A woman who has never given birth.

Hemi-

Indicates 'half'

Hemiplegia

Condition of paralysis of half the body.

Semi-

Indicates 'partial'

Semiconscious

Partially conscious.

Mono-

Indicates 'one'

Monoplegia

Condition of paralysis of one limb.

Uni-

Indicates 'one'

Unipara

A woman who has given birth one time.

Primi-

Indicates 'first'

Primigravida

A woman who is pregnant for the first time.

Bi-

Indicates 'two'

Bipara

A woman who has given birth two times.

Di-

Indicates 'double'

Diplegia

Condition of paralysis of two limbs.

Dipl-

Indicates 'double'

Diplopia

Condition having double vision.

Tri-

Indicates 'three'

Tripara

A woman who has given birth three times.

Quadri-

Indicates 'four'

Quadriplegia

Condition of paralysis of four limbs.

Multi-

Indicates 'many'

Multipara

A woman who has given birth many times.

Poly-

Indicates 'excessive', 'over', or 'many'

Polycythemia

Condition of abnormally increased red blood cells.

Pan-

Indicates 'all'

Pancytopenia

Deficiency of all types of blood cells.

Exo-

Indicates 'outside' or 'away from'

Exotropia

Condition where the eye is turned outside the normal position.

Ecto-

Indicates 'outside'

Ectopic

Pertaining to outside the normal place.

Endo-

Indicates 'inside'

Endogastric

Pertaining to inside the stomach.

Extra-

Indicates 'outside'

Extracellular

Pertaining to outside the cells.

Intra-

Indicates 'inside' or 'within'

Intracellular

Pertaining to inside the cell.

Inter-

Indicates 'between'

Intermuscular

Pertaining to between the muscles.

Hyper- (Location)

Indicates 'above'

Hyperdermis

The layer of skin above the dermis layer.

Hypo- (Location)

Indicates 'below'

Peri-

Indicates 'around'

Pericardium

The membrane around the heart.

Pre-

Indicates 'before'

Prenatal

Pertaining to before birth.

Post-

Indicates 'after'

Postnatal

Pertaining to after birth.

A-

Indicates 'absence of' or 'without'

Apnea

Absence of or no breathing.

An-

Indicates 'absence of' or 'without'

Anoxia

Condition of absence of oxygen.

Para-

Indicates 'abnormal'

Paraesthesia

Condition of abnormal sensations (burning or prickling).

Dys-

Indicates 'painful', 'difficult', or 'abnormal'

Dyspnea

Difficult breathing.

Tachy-

Indicates 'rapid' or 'fast'

Tachypnea

Fast breathing.

Brady-

Indicates 'slow'

Bradypnea

Slow breathing.

Eu-

Indicates 'good' or 'normal'

Eupnea

Good breathing.

Mal-

Indicates 'bad'

Malabsorption

Bad absorption.

Hyper-

Indicates 'excessive', 'abnormally high', or 'above'

Hyperthyroidism

A condition of abnormally high levels of thyroid hormones.

Hypo-

Indicates 'deficient', 'abnormally low', or 'below'

Hypothyroidism

A condition of abnormally low levels of thyroid hormones.

Mega-

Indicates 'large'

Megalo-

Indicates 'large'

Megalocyte

Large cell.

Macro-

Indicates 'large'

Macrocytosis

A condition of abnormally large cells.

Micro-

Indicates 'small'

Microscope

Instrument for viewing objects too small to be seen with the unaided human eye.

Hetero-

Indicates 'different'

Homo-

Indicates 'same'

Pseudo-

Indicates 'false'

Pseudocyesis

False pregnancy.

Sub-

Indicates 'below'

Subcutaneous

Pertaining to under/below the skin.

Epi-

Indicates 'above' or 'on top'

Epidermis

The outermost layer of the skin (on top of the dermis layer).