PREFIX

JUNE 17, 2009

PREFIX

MEANING

aabad-

without or absence of
from; away from to; toward

ambi-, amphoamphianana-

both
on both sides without or absence of up; again; backward

ante-

before

antiap-, apoaut-, autobibinbradycatacircumco-,con-, com-

against upon; separated from self two two slow down around together

contradedidiadis-

against from; down from; lack of two thorough; complete to undo; free from difficult; labored; painful; abnormal out of, from, away from

dyse-, ec-, ex-

ect-, ecto-, exoem-, enend-, endo, entexo-

outside; outer in within

ep-, epi esoeu-

on; upon; over inward normal; good

exexo-

outside; outward
outside; outward

extra-, extrahemihyperhypo-

outside of; beyond

half above; excessive below; incomplete; deficient

in-, iminfrainter-

in; into; not under; below between

intraintromalmeso-

within
into, within bad middle

meta-

after; beyond; change

micr-, micromultineonullipanparaperperipoly-

small many new none all; total beside; beyond; around through surrounding (outer) many; much

post-

after

prepropseudoreretrosemisubsuper supra-

before; in front of before false back back; behind half under; below over; above above

sym-

together; joined

syntachytetra-

together; joined
fast; rapid four

transtriultrauni-

through; across; beyond

three beyond; excess one

SUFFIX

SUFFIX

MEANING

-ac
-al -ar

pertaining to
pertaining to pertaining to

-ary
-eal -ial -ic

pertaining to
pertaining to pertaining to pertaining to

-ous -agra -algia

pertaining to excessive pain pain

-apheresis removal

-ase
-asthenia -atresia

enzyme
weakness absence of a normal body opening; occlusion; closure

-cele

hernia; protrusion

-centesis -cidal -clasia -clasis -clast -clysis -crine -crit -cyte -desis

surgical puncture to aspirate fluid killing break break break irrigating; washing separate; secrete to separate cell surgical fixation; fusion

-drome -ectasis -ectomy -ectopia -emesis -emia -er

run; running stretching out; dilatation; expansion excision or surgical removal displacement vomiting blood condition one who

-esis
-iasis -genesis

condition
condition origin; cause

-genic
-gram

producing; originating; causing

record; x-ray film

-graph
-graphy -ia -iatry -ician

instrument used to record

process of recording; xray filming condition of diseased or abnormal state physician; treatment one who

-ictal -ism -itis -lepsy -lysis -lytic -malacia

seizure; attack state of inflammation seizure loosening; dissolution; separating destroy; reduce softening

-mania

madness; insane desire

-megaly -meter -metry -morph -odia -odynia -oid -ologist -ology

enlargement instrument used to measure measurement form; shape smell pain resembling one who studies and practices study of

-oma

tumor; swelling

-opia -opsy -oorhagia -orrhaphy -orrhea -orrhexis -osis

vision (condition) to view rapid flow of blood suturing; repairing flow; excessive discharge abnormal condition rupture (means increased when used with blood cell word roots)

-ostomy

creation of an artificial opening

-otomy -oxia -paresis -pathy -penia -pepsia -pexy -phagia -philia

cut into or incision oxygen slight paralysis disease abnormal reduction in number digestion surgical fixation; suspension eating; swallowing love

-phily
-phobia

love
abnormal fear of or aversion to

specific objects or things

-phonia -phoria -physis -plasia sound or voice feeling growth

formation; development; a growth

SUFFIX -plasm -plasty -plegia

MEANING growth; substance; formation plastic or surgical repair paralysis

-pnea -poiesis -porosis -prandial -praxia -ptosis

breathing formation passage meal in front of; before dropping; sagging; prolapse

-ptysis

spitting

-rrhage -rrhagia -rrhaphy -rrhea -rrhexis -salpinx -sarcoma -schisis -sclerosis

excessive flow excessive flow suturing in place flow or discharge rupture fallopian tube malignant tumor split; fissure hardening

-scope

instrument used for visual examination

-scopy -scopic -sepsis -sis -spasm -stasis -stalsis -stenosis

visual examination visual examination infection state of sudden involuntary muscle contraction control; stop contraction constriction; narrowing

-stomy
-thorax

surgical opening
chest

-tocia
-tome -tomy

birth; labor
instrument used to cut cutting, incision