Medical Terminology: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Abbreviations

Flashcards covering prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations from a medical terminology lecture.

Prefix: uni/mono

Meaning: one. Example: unilateral (on one side of the body).

Prefix: bi/di

Meaning: Two, or twice. Example: Bilateral (both sides of the body).

Prefix: tri

Meaning: three. Example: Charcot's triad (jaundice, fever, chills).

Prefix: quad/quadri

Meaning: four. Example: quadriceps femoris (four muscles in the thigh).

Prefix: hemi/semi

Meaning: half. Example: hemi anesthesia (numbing one side of the body).

Prefix: multi

Meaning: many. Example: multi symptomatic (lots of symptoms).

Prefix: poly

Meaning: many or much. Example: polyarthritis (inflammation of many joints).

Prefix: a/an

Meaning: without or not. Example: analgesic (takes away pain).

Prefix: in/im/non

Meaning: not. Example: noninvasive (not an invasive procedure).

Prefix: dis

Meaning: separate or remove. Example: dislocate (separate bony ends).

Prefix: anti/contra

Meaning: opposing or against. Example: contraindication (factor prohibiting administration of a drug).

Prefix: D

Meaning: away from, cessation, or without. Example: deoxygenation (without oxygen).

Prefix: ex

Meaning: out of or away from.

Prefix: ecto/exo

Meaning: outer or on the outside. Example: ectoderm (outside layer of cells).

Prefix: en/end/endo

Meaning: in or within. Example: endocrine (secreting inside the body).

Prefix: sim/syn

Meaning: together or with. Example: symphysis (tightly packed joint).

Prefix: inter

Meaning: between. Example: intercostal muscles (between the ribs).

Prefix: intra

Meaning: within. Example: intracranial (within the skull).

Prefix: sub/infra

Meaning: below or beneath. Example: subcutaneous (below the skin).

Prefix: supra/super

Meaning: above, toward the head. Example: supracostal (above the ribs).

Prefix: pre

Meaning: before (in time or space). Example: prepubescent (before puberty).

Prefix: post

Meaning: after or behind. Example: post menopausal (after menstruation).

Prefix: pari

Meaning: surrounding. Example: Pericardium (tissue surrounding the heart).

Prefix: ab

Meaning: away from. Example: abduction (move arm away).

Prefix: ad

Meaning: to or toward. Example: adduction (putting the arm back towards).

Prefix: pur/trans

Meaning: through/across or through. Example: percutaneous (through the skin).

Prefix: normal

Meaning: pretty normal.

Prefix: hyper

Meaning: above or excessive.

Prefix: hypo

Meaning: below or deficient.

Prefix: mega/megalo

Meaning: large or oversized. Example: megalosplenia (enlarged spleen).

Prefix: ultra

Meaning: excess or beyond. Example: ultrasound.

Prefix: macro

Meaning: very large, sometimes long. Example: macrosomia (large body).

Prefix: micro

Meaning: small. Example: microcephaly (small head).

Prefix: pan

Meaning: all or entire. Example: pandemic (covers entire world).

Prefix: eu

Meaning: good or normal. Example: euphemia (normal breathing).

Prefix: dys

Meaning: painful, difficult, or abnormal. Example: dyspnea (abnormal breathing).

Prefix: iso

Meaning: equal or alike. Example: isotonic (same solute concentration).

Prefix: homo/homeo

Meaning: the same or alike. Example: homogeneous (mixed up well).

Prefix: hetero

Meaning: different or other. Example: heterogeneous (different concentrations).

Prefix: pseudo

Meaning: false. Example: pseudo malignancy (false, not malignant).

Prefix: neo

Meaning: new. Example: neoplasm (new growth).

Prefix: re

Meaning: again or backward.

Prefix: brady

Meaning: slow. Example: bradycardia (slow heart rate).

Prefix: tachy

Meaning: fast or rapid. Example: tachycardia (fast heart rate).

Suffix: -ism, -ia,-ey

Meaning: condition of. Example: hirsutism (condition of male pattern hair growth).

Suffix: osis

Meaning: abnormal condition.

Suffix: algia

Meaning: pain. Example: arthralgia (pain of the joints).

Suffix: emia

Meaning: condition of the blood. Example: leukemia (cancer of the blood).

Suffix: itis

Meaning: inflammation. Example: pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).

Suffix: megale

Meaning: enlargement. Example: cardiomegaly (enlarged heart).

Suffix: oma

Meaning: tumor. Example: lipoma (fatty tumor).

Suffix: pathy

Meaning: disease.

Suffix: rhea

Meaning: flow or discharge. Example: rhinorrhea (runny nose).

Suffix: centesis

Meaning: puncture to aspirate. Example: amniocentesis

Suffix: ectomy

Meaning: excision or surgical removal. Example: appendectomy

Suffix: plasty

Meaning: surgical repair or reconstruction.

Suffix: raphy

Meaning: suture, or sew back together.

Suffix: stomy

Meaning: creating a surgical opening.

Suffix: tomy

Meaning: making an incision.

Suffix: ic, ac, al, ar, ari, or ous

Meaning: pertaining to. Examples: gastric, cardiac.

Suffix: genic or genesis

Meaning: originating or producing. Example: angiogenesis.

Suffix: gram

Meaning: recording.

Suffix: graphi

Meaning: process of recording.

Suffix: ium

Meaning: tissue. Example: pericardium.

Suffix: logist or ist

Meaning: the one who specializes in. Example: cardiologist.

Suffix: logi

Meaning: study of. Example: osteology.

Suffix: meter

Meaning: instrument for measuring.

Suffix: oid

Meaning: resembling. Example: lymphoid.

Suffix: ole

Meaning: small. Example: arteriole.

Suffix: ule

Meaning: small. Example: venule.

Suffix: scope

Meaning: instrument for examination.

Suffix: scopy

Meaning: process of examining or process of examination. Example: laparoscope.