Overview
This lecture reviews essential medical prefixes, their meanings, and examples of related medical terms to aid understanding and memorization for students.
Common Medical Prefixes and Their Meanings
- A- means without; e.g., aphasia: without ability to speak.
- Ab- means away; e.g., abduction: movement away from body.
- Ad- means toward; e.g., adduction: movement toward body.
- Acou- means hearing; e.g., acoustic trauma: hearing damage.
- Acr- means extremity; e.g., acrocyanosis: blue coloring of hands/feet.
- Andro- means male; e.g., androgens: male sex hormones.
- Angio- means vessel; e.g., angioma: vessel tumor.
- Ante- means before; e.g., antecubital: before the elbow.
- Anti- means against; e.g., antibiotic: works against bacteria.
- Arthr- means joint; e.g., arthritis: joint inflammation.
- Auto- means self; e.g., autoimmune: attack on own tissue.
- Bi- means two; e.g., bicuspid: two cusps.
- Bio- means life; e.g., biology: study of life.
- Blast- means immature cell; e.g., blastocyte: immature cell.
- Brady- means slow; e.g., bradycardia: slow heart rate (<60 bpm).
- Broncho- means bronchus/lung tubes; e.g., bronchoconstriction: narrowing of airways.
- Bucco- means cheek; e.g., buccal: in the cheek.
- Cardio- means heart; e.g., cardiologist: heart specialist.
- Cephal- means head; e.g., cephalic: head region.
- Cerebro- means brain; e.g., cerebrovascular: relating to brain's blood vessels.
- Circum- means around; e.g., circumduction: circular motion.
- Costo- means rib; e.g., costovertebral: ribs and vertebrae.
- Derm- means skin; e.g., dermis: middle skin layer.
- Dys- means difficult; e.g., dysphagia: difficulty swallowing.
- Endo- means within; e.g., endoscopy: scope within body.
- Entero- means intestine; e.g., enteritis: intestine inflammation.
- Epi- means above; e.g., epidermis: outer skin layer.
- Erythro- means red; e.g., erythrocyte: red blood cell.
- Gastro- means stomach; e.g., gastritis: stomach inflammation.
- Glosso- means tongue; e.g., glossopharyngeal: tongue nerve.
- Gyneco- means female; e.g., gynecologist: female system doctor.
- Hemi- means half; e.g., hemisphere: half of brain.
- Hemo-/Hema- means blood; e.g., hematologist: blood specialist.
- Hepat- means liver; e.g., hepatitis: liver inflammation.
- Hydro- means water; e.g., hydronephrosis: excess kidney fluid.
- Hyper- means excessive; e.g., hypernatremia: high blood sodium.
- Hypo- means below/low; e.g., hyponatremia: low blood sodium.
- Inter- means between; e.g., intercostal: between ribs.
- Intra- means within; e.g., intravenous: within vein.
- Iso- means equal; e.g., isotonic: equal concentration.
- Lipo- means fat; e.g., liposuction: removal of fat.
- Macro- means large; e.g., macrocytic: large red blood cells.
- Meningo- means membrane; e.g., meningitis: membrane inflammation.
- Meta- means beyond; e.g., metatarsals: bones beyond tarsals.
- Micro- means small; e.g., microcytic: small red blood cells.
- Myo- means muscle; e.g., myocardium: heart muscle layer.
- Nephro- means kidney; e.g., nephrologist: kidney specialist.
- Neuro- means nerve; e.g., neurologist: nerve specialist.
- Oligo- means few; e.g., oliguria: low urine output.
- Ophthalmo- means eye; e.g., ophthalmologist: eye doctor.
- Osteo- means bone; e.g., osteoporosis: bone disease.
- Oto- means ear; e.g., ototoxicity: ear toxicity.
- Para- means beside/near; e.g., parathyroid: beside thyroid.
- Peri- means around; e.g., pericardium: around heart.
- Phlebo- means vein; e.g., phlebotomy: vein puncture.
- Post- means after; e.g., postpartum: after childbirth.
- Pre- means before; e.g., prenatal: before birth.
- Pseudo- means false; e.g., pseudoscience: false science.
- Pulmo- means lung; e.g., pulmonologist: lung doctor.
- Rhino- means nose; e.g., rhinitis: nose inflammation.
- Spleno- means spleen; e.g., splenomegaly: enlarged spleen.
- Sub- means below; e.g., sublingual: below tongue.
- Supra- means above; e.g., supraventricular: above ventricles.
- Tachy- means fast; e.g., tachycardia: fast heart rate (>100 bpm).
- Thoraco- means chest; e.g., thoracic: chest region.
- Trans- means across; e.g., transmembrane: across membrane.
- Uro- means urinary; e.g., urostomy: urinary tract opening.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Prefix — a word part added to the beginning of a root to modify its meaning.
- Root — main part of a medical word indicating body part or system.
- Suffix — word part added to end of a root to modify its meaning.
- Anemia — condition of low red blood cell count.
- Cyanosis — bluish discoloration, usually from lack of oxygen.
- Inflammation — swelling, redness, and pain in tissues.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review and memorize the common medical prefixes listed above.
- Practice identifying prefixes in medical terminology to improve understanding.
- Prepare for a quiz or further study on medical roots and suffixes.