Prefixes of Medical Terminology A-F

a, an, ar

without or not

acro

extremities

ad

toward to

adeno

glandular

aero

air

ambi

around on both sides

amyl

starch

ante

before forward

anti

against counteracting

bi

double

bili

bile

bio

life

bis

two

brachio

arm

brady

slow (bradycardia)

broncho

bronchus

cardio

heart

cervico

neck, uterine cervix

chole

gall or bile

cholecysto

gallbladder

circum

around

co

together

contra

against, opposite

costo

ribs (costae)

cyto

cell

cysto

bladder

demi

half (demigod)

derma

skin

dis

from

dorso

back portion of the body

dys

abnormal, difficult

electro

electric

en

into, in, within

encephal

brain (encephalitis)

entero

intestines

equi

equal

eryth

red

ex

out, away from

extra

outside of, in addition to

ferro

iron

fibro

fiber

fore

before, in front of

gastro

stomach

glosso

tongue (hypoglossal)

glyco

sugar

hemi

half

hemo

blood

hepa, hepato

liver

histo

tissue (histology)

homo

same

hydro

water

hygro

moisture

hyper

too much, high

hypo

under, decreased

hyster

Uterus Hysteria, hysterectomy

ileo

ileum (third part of small intestine)

in

in, within, into

inter

between

intra

within

intro

in, within, into

juxta

near, close to

laryngo

larynx, voice box Example:laryngitis, laryngospasm, laryngoscope

latero

side

lapar

abdomen, abdominal wall

leuk

white, white blood cell

macro

large, big

mal

bad, poor

mast

breast

medio

middle

mega, megalo

large, great

meno

menses

mono

single

multi

many

myelo

bone marrow, spinal cord Example:transverse myelitis

myo

muscle (myocardium)

neo

new

nephro

kidney

neuro

nerve

nitro

nitrogen

noct

night

non

not

ob

against, in front of

oculo

eye (oculomotor)

odonto

tooth

ophthalmo

eye (ophthalmoscope)

ortho

straight, normal, or correct

os

mouth, bone

osteo

bone

oto

ear

pan

all

para

beside, accessory to

path

disease

ped

foot or child

per

by, through

peri

around

pharyngo

pharynx

phlebo

vein

photo

light

phren

mind, diaphragm

pneumo

lungs, air