Prefixes, Suffixes, and root words
TERM | DEFINITION |
A, An- | Without, lack of |
Ab- | Away from |
-able | Capable |
Acou- | Hearing |
Acr- | Extremity |
Ad- | To, towards, near to |
Adeno- | gland |
-al | Expressing relationship |
-algia | Pain |
Angio- | vessel |
Ante- | Before, forward |
Anti- | Against, reversed |
Arthr- | Joint |
-ary | Associated with |
-asis | Condition, state of |
Auto- | self |
Bi- | Twice, double |
Bio- | live |
-blast | Bud, germ |
Brady- | slow |
-c | Expressing relationship |
Carcin- | Cancer |
Cardio- | Heart |
Cata- | Down, according to |
Cephal- | Head |
-cele | Hollow |
Cerebro- | Brain |
Chol- | bile |
Cholecyst- | Gallbladder |
Chondr- | Cartilage |
-cide | kill |
Circum- | Around, about |
-clast | Smash, break |
Co-, Com-, Con- | With, together |
Contra- | Against, opposite |
Crypto- | Hidden |
Cysto- | Bladder, sac |
Cyto-, -cyte | Cell |
De- | Away from |
Derm- | Skin |
Di- | Two |
Dia- | Through, apart, across |
-duct | Leading, drawing |
-dynia | Pain |
Dys- | Difficult, bad |
E- | Out, away from |
Ec- | Out from |
Ecto- | On outer side |
-ectomy | Cut out |
-edem- | swell |
Em-, En- | In |
-emia | Blood |
Endo- | Within |
Entero- | Intestine |
Epi- | Upon, on |
Erythro- | Red |
Eu- | Well, good |
Ex- | Out, away from |
Exo- | Outside, on outer side |
Extra- | Outside |
-ferent | Carry |
-form | Expressing resemblance |
Gastro- | stomach |
-genesis | Produce, origin |
Gloss- | Tongue |
Glyco- | Sugar, sweet |
-gram | A drawing |
-graph | Instrument that records |
Hem- | Blood |
Hemi- | Half |
Hepato- | Liver |
Hetero- | Different, other |
Hist- | Tissue |
Homeo-, Homo- | Same |
Hydro- | Wet, water |
Hyper- | Over, above, excessive |
Hypo- | Under, below, deficient |
-ia, -id | Expressing condition |
-iatr- | Treat, cure |
-im | Not |
In- | In, intro |
Infra- | Below, beneath |
Inter- | Between |
Intra- | Within |
-ism | Condition, state of |
Iso- | Equal, the same |
-itis | Inflammation |
-ity | Expressing condition |
Kerato- | Cornea or horny tissue |
-kin- | Move |
Leuko- | White |
-liga- | Bind |
Lip- | Fat |
-logy | Study |
-lysis | Breaking up, dissolving |
Macro- | Large |
Mal- | Bad |
Malaco- | Soft |
Mast- | Breast |
Mega- | Great |
Melano- | Black |
Meso- | Middle, mid |
Meta- | Beyond, after, change |
Micro- | Small |
Mito- | Thread, filament |
Mono- | One, single |
-morph- | Form |
Multi- | Many, much |
Myelo- | Marrow, spinal cord |
Myo- | Muscles |
Narco- | Numbness |
Neo- | New |
Nephro- | Kidney |
Neuro- | Nerve |
Oculo- | Eye |
Odonto- | Tooth or teeth |
-oid | Expressing resemblance |
Oligo- | Few, scanty, little |
-oma | Tumor |
-op- | See, sight |
Ophthalm- | Eye |
Ortho- | Straight, normal |
-ory | Referring to |
-ose | Full of |
-osis | Condition of |
Ostea- | Bone |
Oto- | Ear |
-ous | Expressing material |
Para- | Beside, beyond, near to |
-pathy | Disease |
-penia | Deficiency |
Per- | Through, excessive |
Peri- | Around |
-phag | Eat |
-phas- | Speak, utter |
-phil- | Like, love |
Phleb- | Vein |
-phobia | Fear |
-plas- | Form, grow |
-plegia | Paralyze |
-pne- | Breathe |
Pneumo- | Air, gas, lungs |
Pod- | Foot |
-poie- | making, production |
poly- | many, much |
post- | after, behind |
pre-, pro- | before, in front of |
pronto- | anus, rectum |
pseudo- | false |
psycho- | mind, soul |
pyo- | pus |
re- | back, again, contrary |
retro- | backward, located behind |
-rrhagia | burst forth, pour |
-rrhea | flow, discharge |
sarco- | flesh, fleshy |
-sclero- | hard |
-scope | examine |
semi- | half |
somato- | body |
-stasis | stop, stand still |
steno- | narrow |
-stomy | to make an artificial opening |
sub- | under |
super- | above, upper, excessive |
supra- | above, upon |
sym-, syn- | together, with |
tachy- | fast, swift |
therm- | heat |
-tomy | cut, inside |
tox- | poison |
trans- | across, through, beyond |
tri- | three |
-troph- | nourish |
-tropic | changing, influencing |
-uria | urine |
vas- | vessel |
vene- | vein |
viscer- | internal organ |
zyg- | yoked, paired |
TERM | DEFINITION |
A, An- | Without, lack of |
Ab- | Away from |
-able | Capable |
Acou- | Hearing |
Acr- | Extremity |
Ad- | To, towards, near to |
Adeno- | gland |
-al | Expressing relationship |
-algia | Pain |
Angio- | vessel |
Ante- | Before, forward |
Anti- | Against, reversed |
Arthr- | Joint |
-ary | Associated with |
-asis | Condition, state of |
Auto- | self |
Bi- | Twice, double |
Bio- | live |
-blast | Bud, germ |
Brady- | slow |
-c | Expressing relationship |
Carcin- | Cancer |
Cardio- | Heart |
Cata- | Down, according to |
Cephal- | Head |
-cele | Hollow |
Cerebro- | Brain |
Chol- | bile |
Cholecyst- | Gallbladder |
Chondr- | Cartilage |
-cide | kill |
Circum- | Around, about |
-clast | Smash, break |
Co-, Com-, Con- | With, together |
Contra- | Against, opposite |
Crypto- | Hidden |
Cysto- | Bladder, sac |
Cyto-, -cyte | Cell |
De- | Away from |
Derm- | Skin |
Di- | Two |
Dia- | Through, apart, across |
-duct | Leading, drawing |
-dynia | Pain |
Dys- | Difficult, bad |
E- | Out, away from |
Ec- | Out from |
Ecto- | On outer side |
-ectomy | Cut out |
-edem- | swell |
Em-, En- | In |
-emia | Blood |
Endo- | Within |
Entero- | Intestine |
Epi- | Upon, on |
Erythro- | Red |
Eu- | Well, good |
Ex- | Out, away from |
Exo- | Outside, on outer side |
Extra- | Outside |
-ferent | Carry |
-form | Expressing resemblance |
Gastro- | stomach |
-genesis | Produce, origin |
Gloss- | Tongue |
Glyco- | Sugar, sweet |
-gram | A drawing |
-graph | Instrument that records |
Hem- | Blood |
Hemi- | Half |
Hepato- | Liver |
Hetero- | Different, other |
Hist- | Tissue |
Homeo-, Homo- | Same |
Hydro- | Wet, water |
Hyper- | Over, above, excessive |
Hypo- | Under, below, deficient |
-ia, -id | Expressing condition |
-iatr- | Treat, cure |
-im | Not |
In- | In, intro |
Infra- | Below, beneath |
Inter- | Between |
Intra- | Within |
-ism | Condition, state of |
Iso- | Equal, the same |
-itis | Inflammation |
-ity | Expressing condition |
Kerato- | Cornea or horny tissue |
-kin- | Move |
Leuko- | White |
-liga- | Bind |
Lip- | Fat |
-logy | Study |
-lysis | Breaking up, dissolving |
Macro- | Large |
Mal- | Bad |
Malaco- | Soft |
Mast- | Breast |
Mega- | Great |
Melano- | Black |
Meso- | Middle, mid |
Meta- | Beyond, after, change |
Micro- | Small |
Mito- | Thread, filament |
Mono- | One, single |
-morph- | Form |
Multi- | Many, much |
Myelo- | Marrow, spinal cord |
Myo- | Muscles |
Narco- | Numbness |
Neo- | New |
Nephro- | Kidney |
Neuro- | Nerve |
Oculo- | Eye |
Odonto- | Tooth or teeth |
-oid | Expressing resemblance |
Oligo- | Few, scanty, little |
-oma | Tumor |
-op- | See, sight |
Ophthalm- | Eye |
Ortho- | Straight, normal |
-ory | Referring to |
-ose | Full of |
-osis | Condition of |
Ostea- | Bone |
Oto- | Ear |
-ous | Expressing material |
Para- | Beside, beyond, near to |
-pathy | Disease |
-penia | Deficiency |
Per- | Through, excessive |
Peri- | Around |
-phag | Eat |
-phas- | Speak, utter |
-phil- | Like, love |
Phleb- | Vein |
-phobia | Fear |
-plas- | Form, grow |
-plegia | Paralyze |
-pne- | Breathe |
Pneumo- | Air, gas, lungs |
Pod- | Foot |
-poie- | making, production |
poly- | many, much |
post- | after, behind |
pre-, pro- | before, in front of |
pronto- | anus, rectum |
pseudo- | false |
psycho- | mind, soul |
pyo- | pus |
re- | back, again, contrary |
retro- | backward, located behind |
-rrhagia | burst forth, pour |
-rrhea | flow, discharge |
sarco- | flesh, fleshy |
-sclero- | hard |
-scope | examine |
semi- | half |
somato- | body |
-stasis | stop, stand still |
steno- | narrow |
-stomy | to make an artificial opening |
sub- | under |
super- | above, upper, excessive |
supra- | above, upon |
sym-, syn- | together, with |
tachy- | fast, swift |
therm- | heat |
-tomy | cut, inside |
tox- | poison |
trans- | across, through, beyond |
tri- | three |
-troph- | nourish |
-tropic | changing, influencing |
-uria | urine |
vas- | vessel |
vene- | vein |
viscer- | internal organ |
zyg- | yoked, paired |