2 Prefixes and Suffixes

Learning Objectives

  • Recognize the difference between a prefix and a suffix.
  • Differentiate prefixes that deal with body parts, color, and direction.
  • Distinguish suffixes that deal with procedures.

Chapter Two: Table of Contents

Prefixes – Description

Prefixes- Common

Suffixes – Description

Suffix – Common

References

Prefixes – Description

Prefixes are located at the beginning of a medical term. The prefix alters the meaning of the medical term. It is important to spell and pronounce prefixes correctly.

Many prefixes that you find in medical terms are common to English language prefixes. A good technique to help with memorization is the following:

  • Start by reviewing the most common prefixes.
  • Consider common English language words that begin with the same prefixes.
  • Compare them to the examples of use in medical terms.

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 Prefixes – Common

Prefix Meaning Example of use in medical terms
a-, an- without; lacking anemia
ante- before; forward antenatal
anti- against antibiotic
bi- two  biceps 
brady- slow  bradycardia 
dia across; through diagnosis
dys- difficult, abnormal bad: painful dyspnea
endo- within; inner endocrine gland
epi- above; upon; on epidermis
erythro- red erythrocyte
hyper- above; beyond; excessive hyperactive
hypo- under, deficient hypothyroidism
inter- between interstitial fluid
intra- within intracellular fluid
mal- bad; abnormal malignant
melano- black melanin
neo- new neonate
oligo- few; little  oliguria 
pan- all, entire pancytopenia
peri- around pericardium
poly- many; excessive polyuria
sub- under subcutaneous layer
tachy- fast tachycardia
trans- across; through transdermal
syn- together syndrome

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Concept Check

  • Do you know the difference between the prefixes inter- and intra-?
  • What color is an erythrocyte? A leukocyte?
  • Which prefixes could you use to indicate something is:
    • around something else?
    • within something else?
    • below something else?

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Suffixes – Description

Suffixes are word parts that are located at the end of words. Suffixes can alter the meaning of medical terms. It is important to spell and pronounce suffixes correctly.

Suffixes in medical terms are common to English language suffixes. Suffixes are not always explicitly stated in the definition of a word. It is common that suffixes will not be explicitly stated when defining a medical term in the workplace. However, when transcribing or reading medical reports the suffix is always clearly written. In order to properly spell and pronounce medical terms, it is helpful to learn the suffixes.

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Suffixes – Common

SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE OF USE IN MEDICAL TERMS
-ac pertaining to cardiac
-al pertaining to spinal
-centesis surgical puncture to remove fluid thoracentesis
-desis surgical binding arthrodesis
-ectomy cut out; surgical removal mastectomy
-emia blood condition anemia
-ia condition hemophilia
-ism condition hypothyroidism
-itis inflammation arthritis
-lysis, break down; destruction; dissolving hemolysis
-malacia softening osteomalacia
-megaly enlargement acromegaly
-oid resembling rheumatoid
-oma tumor; mass; fluid collection angiosarcoma
-osis condition; abnormal endometriosis
-pathy disease lymphadenopathy
-penia deficiency; lack of thrombocytopenia
-pexy surgical fixation oophoropexy
-plasia growth hyperplasia
-plasty surgical reconstruction vertebroplasty
-plegia paralysis hemiplegia
-pnea breathing sleep apnea
-rrhage, burst forth; excessive bleeding hemorrhage
-rrhea flow or discharge diarrhea
-stomy surgical creation of an opening colostomy
-tomy incision; to surgically cut into laparotomy
-trophy growth hypertrophy

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Suffixes – Medical and Surgical Procedures

Concept Check

  • Do you know the difference between the suffixes -gram-graph, and -graphy?
  • Which suffixes denote a condition or disease?

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References

Word parts from:

Definitions from:

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definition

License

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Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions Copyright © 2023 by Jennifer Campbell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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