Common Medical Prefixes

Question 1

a-

Answer 1

without, away from
Ex. aphasia (without spech)

Question 2

an-

Answer 2

without
Ex. anoxia (without oxygen)

Question 3

ante-

Answer 3

before, infront of
Ex. antepartum (before birth)

Question 4

anti-

Answer 4

against
Ex. antibiotic (against life)

Question 5

auto-

Answer 5

self
Ex. autograft (a graft from one’s own body)

Question 6

brady-

Answer 6

slow
Ex. bradycardia (slow heart beat)

Question 7

dys-

Answer 7

painful, difficult
Ex. dyspnea (difficulty breathing)

Question 8

endo-

Answer 8

within, inner
Ex. endoscope (instrument to view within)

Question 9

epi-

Answer 9

upon, over
Ex. epigastric (upon or over the stomach)

Question 10

eu-

Answer 10

normal, good
Ex. eupnea (normal breathing)

Question 11

hetero-

Answer 11

different
Ex. heterograft (a graft from another person’s body)

Question 12

homo-

Answer 12

same
Ex. homozygous (having two identical genes)

Question 13

hyper-

Answer 13

over, above
Ex. hypertrophy (overdevelopment)

Question 14

hypo-

Answer 14

under, below
Ex. hypoglossal (under the tongue)

Question 15

infra-

Answer 15

under, beneath, below
Ex. infraorbital (below, under the eye socket)

Question 16

inter-

Answer 16

among, between
Ex. intervertebral (between the vertebrae)

Question 17

intra-

Answer 17

within, inside
Ex. intravenous (inside, within a vein)

Question 18

macro-

Answer 18

large
Ex. macrocephalic (having a large head)

Question 19

micro-

Answer 19

small
Ex. microcephalic (having a small head)

Question 20

neo-

Answer 20

new
Ex. neonate (new born)

Question 21

pan-

Answer 21

all
Ex. pancarditis (inflammation of all the heart)

Question 22

para-

Answer 22

beside, beyond, near
Ex. paranasal (near or alongside the nose)

Question 23

per-

Answer 23

through
Ex. percutaneous (through the skin)

Question 24

peri-

Answer 24

around
Ex. pericardial (around the heart)

Question 25

post-

Answer 25

after Ex. postpartum (afterbirth)

Question 26

pre-

Answer 26

before, Infront of Ex. prefrontal (infront of the frontal bone)

Question 27

pseudo-

Answer 27

false Ex. pseudocyesis (false pregnancy)

Question 28

retero-

Answer 28

backward, behind Ex. retrograde (movement in the backward position)

Question 29

sub-

Answer 29

below, under Ex. subcutaneous (under, below the skin)

Question 30

super-

Answer 30

above, excess Ex. supernumerary (above the normal number)

Question 31

supra-

Answer 31

above Ex. suprapubic (above the pubic bone)

Question 32

tachy-

Answer 32

rapid, fast Ex. tachycardia (fast heartbeat)

Question 33

trans-

Answer 33

through, across Ex. transurethral (across the urethra)

Question 34

ultra

Answer 34

beyond, excess Ex. ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves)