Medical Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words for Anatomy and Pathology

a-, an-

No; not; without

hypo-

Deficient, below; under; less than normal

ante-

Before; forward

inter-

between

supra-

Above; upper

intra-

within; into

anti-

Against

trans-

across; through

bi-

Two

micro-

small

brady-

slow

poly-

Many; much

endo-

IN; within

epi-

Above; upon; on

sub-

under; below

super-

Above, beyond

hyper-

Above; excessive

tachy-

fast

-algia

Pain

-osis

Condition, usually, abnormal

-emia

blood condition

-oma

tumor; mass; fluid collection

-gen

substance that produces; that which generates

-stomy

new opening (to form a mouth)

-pathy

Disease; emotion

-itis

inflammation

-logy

Study (process of)

-ac; -ic

Pertaining to

anter/o

front

arthr/o

Joint

bi/o

Life

cardi/o

Heart

cost/o

Rib

cyst/o

Urinary bladder; cyst; sac of fluid

caud/o

tail; lower part of body

enter/o

intestines (usually small intestine)

gastr/o

stomach

hist/o

Tissue

hepat/o

Liver

infer/o

Below or inferior

lip/o

Fat; Lipid

my/o

muscle

neur/o

Nerve

path/o

Disease

poster/o

Back (of body); behind

ventr/o

belly side of body

viscer/o

internal organs