PREFIXES

1. Latin and Greek origin
2. Anatomy of a Medical Term
1. Dissect the word and it is less threatening.

a. Prefix…..at the beginning

b. Root……gives the essential meaning of the word

c. Combining vowel…..single vowel, usually an “0” at the end of the root, which makes the word easier to pronounce.

d. Combining form…..root + combining vowel

e. Suffix…..at the end of a word

3. Prefixes…..added to the beginning to modify the meaning.
1. Contrasting Prefixes

a. A….without or no……..ex:  atraumatic

b. An...without or no……..ex:  anuria

c. Ab…away from……….ex:  abduction

Ad…toward…………...ex:  adduction

d. Dys…difficult or bad…ex:  dysphagia

Eu….good or normal… ex:  euthyroid

e. Endo..within or inside…ex:  endocrine

Exo…without, outside of…ex:  exocrine

                                       Ecto…outside of………ex:  ectoparasite

f. Hyper….higher, increased…ex:  hyperthyroid

Hypo…..lower, decreased….ex:  hypothyroid

g. Inter….between….ex:  interdigital

Intra….within……ex:  intradigital

h. Poly….many, excessive….ex:  polyuria

Oligo…little or scant……. ex: oliguria

i. Pre…before…….ex:  preanesthetic

Post..after………ex:  postanesthetic

j. Sub…below, under….ex:  sublingual

Super or supra…above…ex:  suprascapular

4. Directional Prefixes
1. epi…..upper………ex:  epidermis
2. extra,,,outside…….ex:  extracurricular
3. infra…below, beneath….ex:  infraorbital
4. meta…beyond……ex:  metaphysical
5. per….throughout…ex:  percutaneous
6. trans…across……..ex:  transabdominal
7. ultra…increase more than normal….ultraviolet

5. Other Prefixes or word roots
1. arthro…….joint
2. gastro…….stomach
3. pan……….without
4. osteo……..bone
5. hema……..blood
6. hepa……...liver
7. nephro……kidney
8. cardio…….heart
9. neuro…….nerve
10. oto……….ear
11. optho…….eye
12. myo……...muscle
13. thoraco…..ribs
14. entero……intestine
15. myelo……nerve, spinal cord
16. derm……..skin
17. pneumo….lungs or air
18. cephalo…..brain
19. cysto……..bladder
20. podo……..foot
21. pyo………pus
22. rhino…….nose