Prefixes and Suffixes

Jennifer Campbell

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