Common Medical Prefixes

ab

away from

ad

toward

acro

top; extermities

acu/o

sharp; severe

ante

before, forward

anti

against

bi / di

two

brachi/o

arm

chemo

chemical

co / con / com

together, with

crani/o

skull

cyto

cells

de

down, from

dia

throughout

ecto

outside

encephal/o

brain

erythr/o

red

epi

on, over

extra / extro

beyond, outside of

hemi

half

hemat/o

blood

hyper

above; excessive

hyp / hypo

below, beneath, deficient

inter

between

intra, intro

within

leuko

white

macro

large

meso

middle

micro

tiny, small

mono / uni

one, single

mort/o

death

my/o

muscle

neur/o

nerve

ocul/o

eye

onco

tumor

or

mouth

post

after, following, behind

pre, pro

in front of, before

pulmon/o

lungs

retro

behind, backward

secto

to cut

semi

half

stetho

chest

topo

place, position

trans

through or across

tri

three

ultra

excessive, beyond