Medical Prefixes, Suffixes, and Anatomical Terms

A collection of medical prefixes, suffixes, and anatomical terms with their meanings.

Hyper-

Above normal; excessive

Hypo-

Below normal; deficient

Tachy-

Fast; rapid

Brady-

Slow

Dys-

Bad; difficult; painful; abnormal

A- / An-

Without; not; lack of

Poly-

Many; much

Auto-

Self

Inter-

Between

Intra-

Within

Sub-

Under; below

Super-

Above; over

Trans-

Across; through

Peri-

Around

Endo-

Within; inner

Epi-

On; upon; above

Micro-

Small

Macro-

Large

Neo-

New

-itis

Inflammation

-ology

Study of

-pathy

Disease

-emia

Blood condition

-oma

Tumor; mass

-ectomy

Surgical removal

-gram

Record; image

-graphy

Process of recording

-scopy

Visual exam

-lysis

Breakdown

-plasty

Surgical repair

-rrhage

Excessive flow

-rrhea

Flow; discharge

-stasis

Stopping; controlling

-genic

Producing; causing

-algia

Pain

-cyte

Cell

-phobia

Fear

-penia

Deficiency

Anterior

Front

Posterior

Back

Lateral

Toward the side

Medial

Toward midline

Proximal

Closer to attachment

Distal

Farther from attachment

Superior

Above

Inferior

Below

Dorsal

Back side

Ventral

Belly side

Cranial

Toward head

Caudal

Toward tail/lower

Prone

Face down

Supine

Face up

Deep

Away from surface

Superficial

Near surface

Bilateral

Both sides

Unilateral

One side

Flexion

Bending