3. Essential Prefixes Flashcards
mono-, uni-
- one
bi-, di-
- two
tri-
- three
quad-, quadri-, tetra-
- four
centi-
one hundred, one-hundredth
milli-
one-thousandth
diplo-
double
hemi-, semi-
half, partly
hyper-
excessive, more than normal
hypo-
under, less than normal
multi-, poly-
many
nulli-
none
pan-
all
primi-
first
super-, ultra-
excessive
ab-
away from.
Abduct means to carry away by force or to draw away from a given position.
ad-
toward
In drug addiction (now called chemical dependency), one is “drawn toward” a habit-forming drug. In other words, one has a compulsive physiologic need for a certain drug.
ante-, pre-
before in time or in place
An anteroom is an outer room that is generally entered before a more important room.
Prerenal pertains to the area in front of (literally, “before in place”) the kidney.
circum-, peri-
around
The perimeter is the outer boundary or the line that is drawn around the outside of an area. The circumference is the line that is drawn around a circle.
contra-
against or opposed
Contralateral means affecting the opposite side.
dia-
through
The diameter passes through the center of a circle.
ecto-, ex-, exo-, extra-
outside, without, away from
To export is to carry or send away to another place.
The skeletons of some animals, such as insects, are on the outer surface and are called exoskeletons.
Extranuclear means outside a nucleus.
en-, end-, endo-
inside
Enclose means to close up inside something, hold in, or include. Endotracheal means within the trachea.
epi-
above, on
An epitaph is often inscribed on the tombstone or above the grave of the person buried there.
hypo-, infra-, sub-
beneath, under
Hypodermic means pertaining to the area below the skin.
A subcutaneous injection places a small amount of medication below the skin layer into the subcutaneous tissue.
Four types of hypodermic injections are shown in Fig. 3.5.
inter-
between
An interval is a space of time between events.
intra-
within
Intracollegiate activities are those within a college or engaged in by members of a college. See Fig. 3.5 for explanations of the terms intramuscular, intradermal, and intravenous.
ipsi-
same
Ipsilateral means pertaining to or affecting the same side of the body. (Compare with contralateral, Fig. 3.6).
meso-, mid-
middle
The mesoderm is the middle of three tissue layers that form during the development of an embryo.
para-
near, beside, or abnormal
Two parallel lines run beside each other.
per-
through or by
To perspire is to excrete fluid through the pores of the skin. Permeable means allowing certain substances to pass through.
post-
after, behind
To postdate is to assign a date to something after the date it actually occurred, such as when one postdates a check. Postnasal means behind the nose.
retro-
behind, backward
Retroactive means extending back to a prior time or condition.
Retrospection means looking backward in time or surveying the past.
super-, supra-
above, beyond
Superficial means on or near the surface (Fig. 3.7).
Suprarenal pertains to a location above each kidney.
sym-, syn-
joined, together
A syndrome is a set of symptoms that occur together and collectively characterize a particular disease or condition.
In symbiosis, two organisms of different species beneficially coexist.
trans-
across
A transdermal drug is one that can be absorbed through (or across) unbroken skin, such as the nitroglycerin patch to relieve angina pectoris, chest pain caused by heart disease (Fig. 3.8).
anti-, contra-
against
An antiperspirant acts against perspiration.
A contraceptive acts against or prevents conception (the beginning of pregnancy). Contralateral means affecting the opposite side (see Fig. 3.6).
(The i in anti- is sometimes dropped before a vowel.)
brady-
slow
Bradycardia means a decreased pulse rate, but its literal translation is “a slow heart condition” (Fig. 3.9).
dys-
bad, difficult, disordered
Reading is very difficult when one has dyslexia. This disorder is thought to be an inability to organize written symbols.
