commonly used prefixes

Question 1

a-, an-, in-

Answer 1

without, negative

example: amenorrhea - without monthly flow

Question 2

ab-

Answer 2

from, away from

example: abnormal - away from normal

Question 3

ad-, ac-, as-, at-

Answer 3

to, toward

example: adduct - carry toward

Question 4

allo-

Answer 4

other

example: allograft - grafted tissue donated from one person to another

Question 5

amphi-

Answer 5

both sides, surrounding

example: amphiarthrosis - union between two bones at a joint

Question 6

aniso-

Answer 6

unequal

example: anisocytosis - abnormal condition of two unequal cells

Question 7

ante-, pre-

Answer 7

before
example: anterior - front
prenatal - before birth

Question 8

anti-, ant-, ob-

Answer 8

against

example: antipyretic - agent used against fever

Question 9

bi-

Answer 9

two

example: bilateral - two sides

Question 10

bio-

Answer 10

life

example: biology - study of life

Question 11

brachy-

Answer 11

short

example: brachydactylism - short toes and fingers

Question 12

brady-

Answer 12

slow

example: bradycardia - slow heart rate

Question 13

cata-

Answer 13

down

example: catabolism - breakdown of nutrients

Question 14

cent-

Answer 14

hundred

example: centimeter

Question 15

chlor-

Answer 15

green

example: chloropsia - green vision

Question 16

circum-

Answer 16

around

example: circumcision - to cut around

Question 17

co-, com-, con-

Answer 17

with, together

example: congenital - born together with

Question 18

contra-

Answer 18

against

example: contraindicated: against indications

Question 19

cyano-

Answer 19

blue

example: cyanosis - blue colored skin

Question 20

de-

Answer 20

away from

example: dehydrate - loss of water

Question 21

dextr-

Answer 21

right

example: dextrocardia - heart displaced to right

Question 22

dia-

Answer 22

through

example: diarrhoea - flow through

Question 23

diplo-

Answer 23

double, twofold

example: diplopia - double vision

Question 24

dis-

Answer 24

apart

example: dissect - to cut apart

Question 25

dys-

Answer 25

bad, difficult | example: dyspnea - difficult breathing

Question 26

e, ex-

Answer 26

out, out from | example: excise - to cut out

Question 27

ect-, exo-, extra-

Answer 27

outside | example: extracorporeal - outside the body

Question 28

en-

Answer 28

in, on | example: encapsulated - in a capsule

Question 29

end-

Answer 29

within | example : endoscopy - visualisation within

Question 30

epi-

Answer 30

upon | example: epidermis - upon skin

Question 31

eu-

Answer 31

good | example: euhonic - good sound

Question 32

eury-

Answer 32

broad, wide | example: eurygnathous - having a wide jaw

Question 33

gero, geronto-

Answer 33

old, elderly | example : gerontology - study of diseases

Question 34

hem-, semi-

Answer 34

half | example: hemigastrectomy - surgical removal of half of the stomach

Question 35

hydro-

Answer 35

water | example: hydrocephalus - water on the brain

Question 36

hyper-

Answer 36

over, above | example: hypoglossal - under the tongue

Question 37

immun-

Answer 37

free, exempt | example: immunity - exempt from effect of specific disease

Question 38

in-

Answer 38

not | example: insoluble - not able to dissolve

Question 39

infra-

Answer 39

beneath | example: inframammary - beneath the breast

Question 40

inter-

Answer 40

between | example: intercellular - between cells

Question 41

intra-

Answer 41

within | example: intracranial - within the cranium

Question 42

iso-

Answer 42

same | example: isocoria - pupils of equal size

Question 43

kil-

Answer 43

thousand

Question 44

leio-

Answer 44

smooth | example: leiomyoma- smooth muscle tumor

Question 45

lepto-

Answer 45

high, thin | example: leptocephaly - having a long thin head and neck

Question 46

levo-

Answer 46

left | example: levoduction of the eye- movement of eye to left

Question 47

lys-

Answer 47

dissolution, disintegration | example: lysosome - organelle that degrades worn cell parts

Question 48

macr-

Answer 48

large | example: macrocyte - large cell

Question 49

mal-

Answer 49

bad | example: malnutrition - bad nourishment

Question 50

mes-

Answer 50

middle | eg. mesentery : middle of intestine

Question 51

meta-

Answer 51

after, beyond | eg. metacarpals : beyond carpals (wrist)

Question 52

micr-

Answer 52

small | eg. microcephal - having a small head

Question 53

milli-

Answer 53

one-thousandth

Question 54

multi-

Answer 54

many | eg. multipara: one who has many children

Question 55

neo-

Answer 55

new | eg. neoplasm: new growth

Question 56

normo-

Answer 56

normal | eg. normocyte: normal, healthy RBC

Question 57

olig-

Answer 57

scanty, few | eg. oliguria: scanty amount of urine

Question 58

onc-

Answer 58

tumor | eg. oncology: study of tumors

Question 59

opistho-

Answer 59

behind, backward | eg. opisthotonos: bending backwards

Question 60

pachy-

Answer 60

thick | eg. pachyderma: thick skin

Question 61

per-

Answer 61

through | eg. percutaneous: through the skin

Question 62

peri-

Answer 62

around | eg. peritonsillar: around tonsil

Question 63

photo-

Answer 63

light | eg. photophobia: scared of light

Question 64

pleur-

Answer 64

side, rib | eg. pleural membrane: serous membranes that enclose the lungs

Question 65

poly-

Answer 65

many, much | eg. polycystic: many cysts

Question 66

post-

Answer 66

after | eg. postmorten: after death

Question 67

pre-

Answer 67

before | eg. prenatal: before birth

Question 68

presby-

Answer 68

old | eg. presbyopia: old vision

Question 69

primi-

Answer 69

first | eg. primigravida: first preg

Question 70

pro-

Answer 70

before | eg. prognosis: prediction of the probable outcome of a disease

Question 71

re-

Answer 71

back, again | eg. regenerate: develop again

Question 72

retr-, retro-

Answer 72

behind | eg. retrosternal: behind sternum

Question 73

rhod-

Answer 73

red | eg. rhodopsin: visual pigment in eye

Question 74

semi-

Answer 74

half | eg. semicomatose: in a partial comatose state, semiconscious

Question 75

sub-

Answer 75

under | eg. sublingual: under the tongue

Question 76

super-, supra-

Answer 76

above | eg. supraspinal: above the vertebral column

Question 77

syn-, sym-

Answer 77

with, together | eg. synergism: working together

Question 78

tachy-

Answer 78

fast | eg. tachyphasia: fast speech

Question 79

un-

Answer 79

not | eg. unconscious