Medical Prefixes

a-

absence of

ab-

away from

abdomin/o

abdomen

acanth/o

spine; thorny

acar/o

mites

acetabul/o

acetabulum (hip socket)

acr/o

extremities; top; extreme point

acous/o

hearing

acoust/o

hearing, sound

acromi/o

acromion (extension of shoulder bone)

actin/o

light

acu/o

sharp; severe; sudden

ad-

toward

aden/o

referring to glands

adenoid/o

adenoids

adip/o

fat

aer-

air

af

toward

agglutin/o

clumping; sticking together

alb/o

white

albin/o

white

albumin/o

albumin (protein)

algesia/o

sensitivity to pain

all/o

other

alveol/o

alveolus; air sac; small sac

ambi-

both

amby/o

dim; dull

amphi-

around; on both sides

ammon/o

ammonium

amni/o

amnion (sac surrounding the embryo)

amyl/o

starch

an-

without or absence of

an/o

anus

ana-

up; again; backward

andr/o

male

angle-

tube, blood vessel

angi/o

vessel (blood)

ankyl/o

stiff

ansi/o-

unequal

ante-

before

anter/o

front

anthr/o

antrum of the stomach (lower part)

anti-

against

anxi/o

uneasy; anxious

apo-

upon

append-

appendix; to hang something

appendic/o

appendix

aphth/o

ulcer

aort/o

aorta (largest artery)

aque/o

water

arachn/o

spider

arterio-

having to do with the arteries

arteriol/o

arteriole (small artery)

artho-

joint

asbest/o

asbestos

aspir/o

removal

athero-

plaque (fatty substance)

athel/o

hardening

atel/o

incomplete

atmo

steam; vapor

atreto

closed; lacking an opening

atri/o

atrium (upper heart chamber)

audi/o-

referring to sound

audit/o

hearing

aur/o

ear

auricul/o

ear

aut

self; own

auto

self; own

aux/o

growth; acceleration

auxill/o

armpit

axi/o

axis

azot/o

urea; nitrogen

bacill/o

bacilli (bacteria)

bacteri/o

bacteria

balan/o

glans penis

bary-

weight, pressure

bas/o

base; opposite of acid

batho

deep; depth

bathy

deep; depth

bi-

two

bilat-

both

bin-

two

bi/o

life

bios-

life

bil/i

bile; gall

blasto-

germ or embryotic

blenn/o

mucus

bleph/o-

eyelid

blephar/o

eyelid

bol/o

cast; throw

brady-

slow

brachi/o

arm

bronch/o

bronchial tube

bronchiol/o

bronchiole

bucc/o

cheek

burs/o

bursa (sac of fluid near joints)

cac/o

bad

calc-

referring to stones

calc/o

calcium

calcane/o

calcaneus (heel bone)