Medical Prefixes Overview

Prefixes and Examples

1. A-

• Meaning: Without
• Example: Aphasia (without ability to communicate)

2. Ab-

• Meaning: Away
• Example: Abduction (moving arms away from the body)

3. Ad-

• Meaning: Toward
• Example: Adduction (moving arms toward the body)

4. Acou-

• Meaning: Hearing
• Example: Acoustic trauma (damage to hearing)

5. Acr-

• Meaning: Extreme or extremity
• Example: Acrocyanosis (bluish color in extremities)

6. Andro-

• Meaning: Male reproductive system
• Example: Androgens (male sex hormones)

7. Angi-

• Meaning: Vessel
• Example: Angioma (tumor made up of blood vessels)

8. Ante-

• Meaning: Before or in front of
• Example: Antecubital (in front of the elbow)

9. Anti-

• Meaning: Against or instead of
• Example: Antibiotics (against bacteria)

10. Arth-

• Meaning: Joint
• Example: Arthritis (joint inflammation)

11. Auto-

• Meaning: Self or own
• Example: Autoimmune disease (disease attacking own tissue)

12. Bi-

• Meaning: Two
• Example: Bicuspid valve (valve with two cusps)

13. Bio-

• Meaning: Life
• Example: Biology (study of life)

14. Blast-

• Meaning: Bud or immature form
• Example: Blasy (immature cell)

15. Brady-

• Meaning: Slow
• Example: Bradycardia (slow heart rate)

16. Broncho-

• Meaning: Lungs
• Example: Bronchoconstriction (narrowing of lung tubes)

17. Bucco-

• Meaning: Cheek
• Example: Buccal route (medication given in the cheek)

18. Cardio-

• Meaning: Heart
• Example: Cardiologist (heart specialist)

19. Cephal-

• Meaning: Head
• Example: Cephalic (head region)

20. Cerebro-

• Meaning: Brain or cerebrum
• Example: Cerebrovascular accident (stroke affecting brain)

21. Circum-

• Meaning: Around
• Example: Circumduction (moving limbs in circular motion)

22. Cost-

• Meaning: Ribs
• Example: Costovertebral (region where ribs and vertebra meet)

23. Derm-

• Meaning: Skin
• Example: Dermis (middle layer of the skin)

24. Dys-

• Meaning: Difficult
• Example: Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)

25. Endo-

• Meaning: Within
• Example: Endoscopy (procedure to look within the body)

26. Entero-

• Meaning: Intestine
• Example: Enteritis (inflammation of the intestines)

27. Epi-

• Meaning: Above or on top of
• Example: Epidermis (top layer of the skin)

28. Erythro-

• Meaning: Red
• Example: Erythrocyte (red blood cells)

29. Gastr-

• Meaning: Stomach
• Example: Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)

30. Glosso-

• Meaning: Tongue
• Example: Glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve controlling tongue movement)

31. Gyneco-

• Meaning: Female reproductive system
• Example: Gynecologist (female reproductive specialist)

32. Hemi-

• Meaning: Half
• Example: Brain hemispheres (two halves of the brain)

33. Hemo- / Hemato-

• Meaning: Blood
• Example: Hematologist (blood specialist)

34. Hepat-

• Meaning: Liver
• Example: Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)

35. Hydro-

• Meaning: Water
• Example: Hydronephrosis (excess fluid in kidneys)

36. Hyper-

• Meaning: Excessive or high
• Example: Hypernatremia (high sodium levels in blood)

37. Hypo-

• Meaning: Low or below
• Example: Hyponatremia (low sodium levels in blood)

38. Inter-

• Meaning: Between
• Example: Intercostal (space between ribs)

39. Intra-

• Meaning: Within or inside
• Example: Intravenous (within the venous system)

40. Iso-

• Meaning: Equal
• Example: Isotonic (equal tonicity as blood plasma)

41. Lipo-

• Meaning: Fat
• Example: Liposuction (removing fat)

42. Macro-

• Meaning: Large
• Example: Macrocytic anemia (large red blood cells)

43. Meningo-

• Meaning: Membrane
• Example: Meningitis (inflammation of the membranes around brain and spinal cord)

44. Meta-

• Meaning: Beyond
• Example: Metatarsals (bones beyond the tarsal bones of the foot)

45. Micro-

• Meaning: Small
• Example: Microcytic anemia (small red blood cells)

46. Myo-

• Meaning: Muscle
• Example: Myocardium (heart muscle layer)

47. Nephro-

• Meaning: Kidney
• Example: Nephrologist (kidney specialist)

48. Neuro-

• Meaning: Nerve
• Example: Neurologist (nerve specialist)

49. Oligo-

• Meaning: Scanty or little
• Example: Oliguria (little urine output)

50. Ophthalmo-

• Meaning: Eye
• Example: Ophthalmologist (eye specialist)

51. Osteo-

• Meaning: Bone
• Example: Osteoporosis (bone disorder)

52. Oto-

• Meaning: Ear
• Example: Ototoxicity (ear damage)

53. Para-

• Meaning: Beside or near
• Example: Parathyroid (near the thyroid)

54. Peri-

• Meaning: Surrounding or around
• Example: Pericardium (layer surrounding the heart)

55. Phlebo-

• Meaning: Vein
• Example: Phlebotomy (procedure to remove blood from vein)

56. Post-

• Meaning: After
• Example: Postpartum (after childbirth)

57. Pre-

• Meaning: Before
• Example: Prenatal (before childbirth)

58. Pseudo-

• Meaning: Fake or false
• Example: Pseudoscience (false science)

59. Pulmo-

• Meaning: Lungs
• Example: Pulmonologist (lung specialist)

60. Rhino-

• Meaning: Nose
• Example: Rhinitis (inflammation of the nose)

61. Spleno-

• Meaning: Spleen
• Example: Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen)

62. Sub-

• Meaning: Below
• Example: Sublingual (below the tongue)

63. Supra-

• Meaning: Above or on top
• Example: Supraventricular tachycardia (fast heart rate originating above ventricles)

64. Tachy-

• Meaning: Fast
• Example: Tachycardic (fast heart rate)

65. Thoraco-

• Meaning: Chest
• Example: Thoracic (chest region)

66. Trans-

• Meaning: Across
• Example: Transmembrane (across the membrane)

67. Uro-

• Meaning: Urinary tract
• Example: Urostomy (opening to urinary tract system)