1.3: Common Prefixes
The prefix appears at the beginning of a medical term and adds meaning to the root word, like adjectives add meaning to nouns in the English language.
Prefixes often indicate:
- Number , such as bi- , meaning “two”
- Position , such as sub- , meaning “under”
- Direction , such as intra- , meaning “within”
- Time , such as brady- , meaning “slow”
- Negation , such as a- and an -, meaning “without”
Common Prefixes
Here is a list of commonly used prefixes. It is helpful to memorize these common prefixes as you build your knowledge of medical terminology:
- a-, an- : Absence of, without, not
- ab- : Away from, take away
- ad- : Towards, to, near
- ambi-, ambo- : Both
- amphi- : Double, both sides
- ana- : Up, apart
- ante- : Before, in front of, forward
- anti- : Opposing, against
- ap-, apo- : Separated, derived from
- aut-, auto- : Self, by yourself
- bi- : Double, two, twice, both
- brachy- : Short
- brady- : Slow
- cata- : Lower, down, against
- circum- : Around
- co-, con-, com- : Together, with
- contra- : Against, opposed to
- de- : Down, from
- di- : Twice, two
- dia- : Through, apart, across, between
- dis- : Apart from, free from
- dys- : Bad, painful, difficult
- e-, ec-, ex- : From, away from, out of
- ect-, exo-, ecto- : Outside, outer, on
- em-, en- : In
- end-, endo-, ent-, ento- : Within, inner
- epi-, ep- : Upon, over, on
- eu- : Normal
- extra-, extro- : Beyond, outside of, outward
- hemi-, semi- : Half, half of
- hyper- : Above, excessive, beyond
- hyp-, hypo- : Below, beneath, deficient
- im-, in- : Intro, in, within
- infra- : Below, beneath
- inter- : Between
- intra- : Within, inside
- intro- : Into, within
- iso- : Same, equal
- macro- : Large
- mal- : Bad
- mes-, meso- : Middle
- meta- : Beyond, changing
- micro-, micr- : Tiny, small
- mono-, uni- : One
- mult-, multi- : Many, multiple
- neo- : New, recent
- nulli- : None
- oligo- : Small amount
- ortho- : Straight, normal
- pan- : All
- para- : Beyond, beside, after
- per- : Through
- peri- : Around
- poly- : Many, excessive
- post- : After, following, behind
- pre-, pro- : In front of, before, preceding
- presby- : Old age
- pseudo- : False
- quadri- : Four
- re- : Backward, again
- retro- : Behind, backward
- semi- : Half, partial
- sub- : Under, beneath
- super-, supra- : Above, excessive, superior
- sym-, syn- : With, together
- tachy- : Rapid, fast
- trans- : Through, across
- tri- : Three
- ultra- : Excessive, beyond
- uni- : One
See the following box for examples of commonly used prefixes in body-related medical terms. Additional prefixes will be discussed in each chapter related to specific body systems.
Examples of Common Prefixes in Medical Terms
- Bi lateral: Both sides
- Dys uria: Painful urination
- Hyper tension: Excessive/high blood pressure
- Olig uria: Small amount of urine production
- Peri cardial: Around the heart
- Tachy cardia: Rapid heart rate