Prefix and suffix

Prefixes & suffixes

Prefixes modify or qualify in some way the
meaning of the word to which they are affixed.

Suffices are element that are added to combining
form form nouns, adjectives or verbs.
Most the nouns are abstract, that is indicate a
state, quality, condition, procedure, or process
A prefix is a word element attached to the beginning
of a word or word root.
However, not all medical terms have a prefix.
Adding or changing a prefix changes the meaning of
the word.
The prefix usually indicates a number, time, position,
direction, or negation. Many of the same prefixes
used in medical terminology are also used in the
English language.
Prefix + Word
Root
+ Suffix = Medical Word Meaning
an-
(without, not)
+ Esthes
(feeling)
+ -ia
(condition)
= anesthesia condition of
not feeling
Hyper-
(excessive,
above normal)
+ therm
(heat)
+ -ia
(condition)
= hyperthermia condition of
excessive
heat
Intra-
(in, within)
+ Muscul
(muscle)
+ -ar
(pertaining to)
= intramuscular pertaining to
within
the
Para-
(near,
beside;
beyond)
+ nas
(nose)
+ -al
(pertaini
ng to)
= paranas
al
pertai
ning
to
(area
)
near
the
nose
poly-
many,
much
+ ur
(urine)
+ -ia
(conditio
n)
= polyuria condi
tion
of
much
urine
suffix
A suffix is a word element placed at the end of a word
that changes the meaning of the word.
In the terms tonsill/itis, and tonsill/ectomy, the
suffixes are -itis (inflammation) and -ectomy
(excision, removal).
Changing the suffix changes the meaning of the
word.
In medical terminology, a suffix usually describes a
pathology (disease or abnormality), symptom,
surgical or diagnostic procedure, or part of speech.
Many suffixes are derived from Greek or Latin
words.
Combining
Form
+ Suffix = Medical Word Meaning
gastr/o
(stomach)
+ -itis
(inflammation)
= gastritis inflammation of
the stomach
+ -megaly
(enlargement)
= gastromegaly enlargement of
the stomach
+ -oma
(tumor)
= gastroma tumor of the
stomach
+ -itis
(inflammation)
= hepatitis nflammation of
the liver
hepat/o
(liver)
+ -megaly
(enlargement)
= hepatomegaly enlargement of
the liver
+ -oma
(tumor)
= hepatoma tumor of the
liver
prefixes
a-.an- not, without, lacking, deficient
ab- away from
ad- toward
ambi- both
Amphi-, ampho- on both side, around, both
Ana- up, back, again
Ante- away from
Anti- against, opposed to, preventing, relieving
Apo- away from
Bi- twice, both, double
prefixes
Cata-downward, disordered
Circum- around
Con- together, with, very, thoroughly
Contra- against, opposite
De-down, away from, absent
Di-twice, double
Dia- through, across, apart
Dis-apart, away
Dys- difficult, painful, defective, abnormal
Ec-out of, away from
Continued:
Ecto-outside of
En-in, into, within
Endo,ento- within
Epi- upon, over, above
Eso-within, inner, inward
Eu-good, normal, healthy
Ex-out of, away from
Exo- from the outside, toward the outside
Extra-on the outside, beyond
Hemi-half, partial, one side of the body
Hyper- over, above, excessive, beyond normal
prefixes
Hypo- under, deficient, below normal
In-in, into, not, very, throughly
Infra-beneath, below
Inter- between
Intra-within
Meta-change, after
Non-not
Ob-against, toward, very, throughly
Para-alongside, around, abnormal
Peri-around, surrounding
Post-after, following, behind

prefixes
Pre-before, in front of
Pro-before, in front, forward
Pros, prosth- in place of
Re-back, again
Retro-backward, in back, behind
Se-apart, away from
Semi-half
Sub-under
Super-over, above, excess
Trans- across, through
Syn-together, with, joined
suffixes
-a :state, condition
-able; capable of
-ac: pertaining to, located in
-ad: toward
-al; pertaining to, located in
-an: pertaining to, located in
-ar: pertaining to, located in
-arium: place for
-ary: pertaining to; place for
-ase:name of enzymes


suffixes
-asia,-asis; state, condition
-ate: name of chemical substance; having,
possessing
-ce: state, condition
-culus, -cula,-culum:form diminutives
-cy: state, condition
-eal: pertaining to, located in
-ella: name of genera
-ellus, - ella, -ellum: form diminutives
-ema: state. Condition
-esis, esia:state, condition, procedure
-etic;-esis: pertaining to

suffixes
-ia: state, condition
-iac; person affected with
-iasis: disease, abnormal condition
-ible:capable of
-ic: pertaining to, located in
-ics: science of study of
-id: pertaining to, -oid: particular shape
-ide: name chemical substance
-ile; pertaining to; capable of
-illus, -illa, - illum: form diminutives
-in, -ine ; name of substance, pertaining to,
located in


suffixes
-ion: the act of
-ism: the state, condition, quality
-ist: a person interested in
-ite; name chemical substance
-itic: pertaining to, pertaining to inflamation
-it is ; inflamation
-ium: membrane, connective tissue
-ive; pertaining to
-lent: full of
-ma: abnormal, disease condition
-ment; agent, instrument
suffixes
-oid, -ode, -id : indicate a particular shape
-olus, -ola,-olum : form diminutives
-oma : tumor
-or; agent, instrument
-orium: place for
-ory: pertaining to
-ose:name chemical substance, full of,
resembling
-osis: abnormal, disease condition
-otic; pertaining to
-ous: pertaining to, full of; characterized by


suffixes
-sia: state, condition
-sis; state, condition
-ter: instrument, device
-tic: pertaining to
-ty; state, condition
-ulus, -ulum, -ula, - ule : form diminutives
-ure, - ura: result of
-us: condition, person
-y : state, condition

prefixes
a-.an- not, without, lacking, deficient
ab- away from
ad- toward
ambi- both
Amphi-, ampho- on both side, around, both
Ana- up, back, again
Ante- away from
Anti- against, opposed to, preventing, relieving
Apo- away from
Bi- twice, both, double
prefixes
Cata-downward, disordered
Circum- around
Con- together, with, very, thoroughly
Contra- against, opposite
De-down, away from, absent
Di-twice, double
Dia- through, across, apart
Dis-apart, away
Dys- difficult, painful, defective, abnormal
Ec-out of, away from
Continued:
Ecto-outside of
En-in, into, within
Endo,ento- within
Epi- upon, over, above
Eso-within, inner, inward
Eu-good, normal, healthy
Ex-out of, away from
Exo- from the outside, toward the outside
Extra-on the outside, beyond
Hemi-half, partial, one side of the body
Hyper- over, above, excessive, beyond normal
prefixes
Hypo- under, deficient, below normal
In-in, into, not, very, throughly
Infra-beneath, below
Inter- between
Intra-within
Meta-change, after
Non-not
Ob-against, toward, very, throughly
Para-alongside, around, abnormal
Peri-around, surrounding
Post-after, following, behind

prefixes
Pre-before, in front of
Pro-before, in front, forward
Pros, prosth- in place of
Re-back, again
Retro-backward, in back, behind
Se-apart, away from
Semi-half
Sub-under
Super-over, above, excess
Trans- across, through
Syn-together, with, joined
Prefixes & suffixes
Prefixes modify or qualify in some way the
meaning of the word to which they are affixed.

Suffices are element that are added to combining
form form nouns, adjectives or verbs.
Most the nouns are abstract, that is indicate a
state, quality, condition, procedure, or process
suffixes
-a :state, condition
-able; capable of
-ac: pertaining to, located in
-ad: toward
-al; pertaining to, located in
-an: pertaining to, located in
-ar: pertaining to, located in
-arium: place for
-ary: pertaining to; place for
-ase:name of enzymes


suffixes
-asia,-asis; state, condition
-ate: name of chemical substance; having,
possessing
-ce: state, condition
-culus, -cula,-culum:form diminutives
-cy: state, condition
-eal: pertaining to, located in
-ella: name of genera
-ellus, - ella, -ellum: form diminutives
-ema: state. Condition
-esis, esia:state, condition, procedure
-etic;-esis: pertaining to

suffixes
-ia: state, condition
-iac; person affected with
-iasis: disease, abnormal condition
-ible:capable of
-ic: pertaining to, located in
-ics: science of study of
-id: pertaining to, -oid: particular shape
-ide: name chemical substance
-ile; pertaining to; capable of
-illus, -illa, - illum: form diminutives
-in, -ine ; name of substance, pertaining to,
located in


suffixes
-ion: the act of
-ism: the state, condition, quality
-ist: a person interested in
-ite; name chemical substance
-itic: pertaining to, pertaining to inflamation
-it is ; inflamation
-ium: membrane, connective tissue
-ive; pertaining to
-lent: full of
-ma: abnormal, disease condition
-ment; agent, instrument
suffixes
-oid, -ode, -id : indicate a particular shape
-olus, -ola,-olum : form diminutives
-oma : tumor
-or; agent, instrument
-orium: place for
-ory: pertaining to
-ose:name chemical substance, full of,
resembling
-osis: abnormal, disease condition
-otic; pertaining to
-ous: pertaining to, full of; characterized by


suffixes
-sia: state, condition
-sis; state, condition
-ter: instrument, device
-tic: pertaining to
-ty; state, condition
-ulus, -ulum, -ula, - ule : form diminutives
-ure, - ura: result of
-us: condition, person
-y : state, condition