Prefix | Meaning | Example |
A-, An-, (before vowel) | without, lack of | apnea (without breath) |
Ab- | away from | abnormal, abductor |
Ad-, Af- | to, toward | adductor, afferent, adhesion |
Ana- | up, back again | anabolic |
Anti- | against | antisepsis |
Apo- | away from | apochromatic (abnormal color) |
Auto- | to do with self | autolysis, autopsy |
Bi- | relating to two | bifurcation (separation into 2 branches) |
Brachy- | short | brachycephalia (short head) |
Brady- | slow | bradycardia, bradypnea (slow breathing) |
Circum- | around | circumflex (winding about), circumcision (ouch) |
Con- | with | congenital (born with) |
Contra- | against, opposite | contraception, contralateral |
Crypto- | hidden, concealed | cryptorchid (undescended testicle) |
Cryo- | cold | cryotherapy |
De- | away from | dehydrate |
Dextro- | right | dextrocardia (pertaining to right side of heart |
Di- | twice, double | diplopia (double vision) |
Dia- | through, apart, across | diaphragm, diapedesis |
Dys- | Bad, difficult | dyspnea (difficult breathing); Dysphagia (difficulty in eating) |
E-, Ex-, Ef- | out, away from | eviscerate (remove viscera), efferent |
Ec-, Ecto- | out, outside | eccentric, ectopic (out of place) |
Em-, En- | in | encephalopathy (any brain disease) |
Endo- | within | endometrium (inner lining of uterus), endoscope |
Epi- | upon | epigastric |
Eu- | well, good, normal | euphoria, euthyroid, eupea |
Gravis- | heavy | gravida (pregnant woman) |
Haplo- | single, simple | haplodermatitis (simple inflammation of the skin) |
Hemi- | half | hemiplegia (paralysis on one side) |
Hetero- | other, different | heterogenous |
Homo- | same | homogenous |
Hydro- | wet, water | hydronephrosis (urine collecting in renal pelvis) |
Hyper- | over, above, excessive | hyperplasia (excessive formation) |
Hypo- | under, below, deficient | Hypotension (low blood pressure) |
Idio- | distinctive, peculiar to | idiopathic (disease of unknown cause), idiosyncrasy |
Im-, In- | in, into | infiltration |
Im-, In- | not | immature |
Infra- | below | infraorbital (below eye socket) |
Inter- | between | intercostal (between ribs) |
Intra- | within | intraocular (within the eye) |
Iso- | same, equal | isometric, isotonic |
Leuko- | white | leukocyte |
Levo- | left | levocardia (left side of heart) |
Mal-, Malus- | bad | malignant, malformation |
Mega- | large, great | megacolon (large colon), megaloblastic |
Meso- | middle | mesoderm |
Micro- | small | microglossia (small tongue) |
Mono- | one, single | monochromatic |
Multi- | many, much | multiparous (having given many births) |
Necro- | having to do with death | necrosis, necropsy |
Neo- | new | neoplasm (literally - new formation) |
Oligo- | few, little | oligouria (formation of little urine) |
Opistho- | behind, backward | opisthotic (behind the ears) |
Ortho- | straight, normal, | orthopnea (able to breath only in correct, upright position) |
Para- | beside, by side | paraplegia (paralysis of both sides), parathyroids |
Per- | through | percutaneous |
Peri- | around | periosteum (membrane around the bone) |
Poikilo- | varied | poikiloderma (mottled skin), poikilothermic |
Poly- | many, much | polymyalgia (pain in many |
Post- | after, behind | postnatal (after birth) |
Pre- | before, in front of | prenatal |
Pro- | before, in front of | prognosis (foreknowledge) |
Pseudo- | FALSE | pseudostratified |
Re- | back, again | regurgitation |
Retro- | backward, located | retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum) |
Sclero- | hard | sclerosis (hardening), arteriosclerosis |
Semi- | half | semilunar (half moon, i.e., valves in aorta) |
Sub- | under | sublingual |
Super- | above, upper | supernatant |
Supra- | above, upper | suprarenal |
Steno- | narrow | stenosis (narrowing or constriction) |
Sym-, Syn- | together, with | synapse, symphysis |
Tachy- | fast, swift | tachycardia |
Trans- | across, through | transection (cut across) |
Tri- | three | tricuspid (heart valve) |
Xero- | dry | xerodermia (dry skin) |
Prefix | Meaning | Usage and/or Examples |