Lesson 1: Greek Nouns and Adjectives

a- (an- before a vowel or h)

Prefix

not, without, lacking, deficient

anti- (ant- often before a vowel or h)

Prefix

against, opposed to, preventing, relieving

di- (rarely dis-)

Prefix

two, twice, double

dys-

Prefix

difficult, painful, defective, abnormal

ec- (ex- before a vowel)

Prefix

out of, away from

ecto- (ect- often before a vowel)

Prefix

outside of

en- (em- before b, m, and p)

Prefix

in, into, within

endo-, ento- (end-, ent- before a vowel)

Prefix

within

epi- (ep- before a vowel or h)

Prefix

upon, over, above

exo-

Prefix

outside, from the outside, toward the outside

hemi-

Prefix

half, partial; (often) one side of the body

hyper-

Prefix

over, above, excessive, beyond normal

hypo- (hyp- before a vowel or h)

Prefix

under, deficient, below

mono- (mon- before a vowel or h)

Prefix

one, single

peri-

Prefix

around, surrounding

syn- (sym- before b, p, and m; the n assimilates or is dropped before s)

Prefix

together, with, joined

-a

Noun-forming suffix

state, condition, process, procedure, quality

-ac

Adjective-forming suffix

pertaining to, located in

-ia

Noun-forming suffix

state, condition, quality, process, procedure

-iac

Noun-forming suffix

person afflicted with

-iasis

Noun-forming suffix

disease, abnormal condition

with a parasitic organism infestation of the body by that organism

with lith- formation or presence of calculi in the body

-ic (1)

Adjective-forming suffix

pertaining to, located in

-ic (2)

Noun-forming suffix

drug or agent

person suffering from a certain disability or condition

-in, -ine

Noun-forming suffix

form names of substances

-ist

Noun-forming suffix

a person interested in

-itic (1)

Adjective-forming-suffix

pertaining to, pertaining to inflammation

-itic (2)

Noun-forming suffix

a drug or agent

-itis

Noun-forming suffix

inflammation, inflamed condition

-itides

Plural noun-forming suffix

inflammation, inflamed condition

-ium (-eum)

Noun-forming suffix

membrane connective tissue

a region of the body

-ma

Noun-forming suffix

abnormal or diseased condition

-ma, -mat, -m

Combining form

abnormal or diseased condition

-osis

Noun-forming suffix

abnormal or diseased condition

-otic

Adjective-forming suffix

pertaining to an abnormal or diseased condition

-sia

Noun-forming suffix

state, condition, quality, process, procedure

-sis

Noun-forming suffix

state, condition, process, quality, procedure

-tic (1)

Adjective-forming suffix

pertaining to

-tic (2)

Noun-forming suffix

drug or agent

-y

Noun-forming suffix

state, condition, process, procedure, quality

acanth-

Combining form

thorn, spine

alg-

Combining form

pain

alges-

Combining form

sensitivity to pain

all-

Combining form

other, divergence, difference from

angi-

Combining form

(blood) vessel, duct

arteri-

Combining form

artery

arthr-

Combining form

joint

bi-

Combining form

life

brady-

combining form

slow

cardi-

combining form

heart

cephal-

combining form

head

crani-

combining form

skull

cyt-

combining form

cell

encephal-

combining form

brain

erythr-

combining form

red

lept-

combining form

thin, fine, slight

leuk-

combining form

white, white blood cell

lith-

combining form

stone, calculus

log-

combining form

word, study

malac-

combining form

soft

mes-

combining form

middle, secondary, partial, mesentery

-meter, metr-

combining form

measure

measuring device (on the end of a word)

nephr-

combining form

kidney

neur-

combining form

nerve, nervous system

oste-

combining form

bone

prosop-

combining form

face

prot-

combining form

first, primitive, early

scler-

combining form

hard

sten-

combining form

narrow

stere-

combining form

solid, having three dimensions

tachy-

combining form

rapid

tox(i)-

combining form

poison

-logy

suffix form

study, science, the study or science of

-logist

suffix form

one who specializes in a certain study or science

-malacia

suffix form

the softening (of tissues) of

-sclerosis

suffix form

the hardening (of tissues) of

-stenosis

suffix form

the narrowing (of a part of the body)

-toxic

suffix form

poisonous (to an organ)

-toxin

suffix form

a substance poisonous to (a part of the body)