Anatomy & Physiology Prefixes & Suffixes
Prefix/
Suffix
Meaning
Example
a-
Without, lack of
Acentric (without a center)
ab-
Away from, from
Abterminal (away from the end)
-able
Capable
Viable (capable of living)
acou-
Hearing
Acoustics (science of sounds)
acro-
Extremity, peak
Acromegaly (large extremities)
acu-
Needle
Acupuncture (insertion of needles)
ad-
To, toward, near to
Adrenal (near the kidney)
adeno-
Gland
Adenoma (glandular tumor)
adipo-
Fat
Adipocyte (fat cell)
aero-
Air, gas
Aerobic (growing in presence of oxygen)
-agogue
Leading, inducing
Galactagogue (promoting the flow of milk)
-al
Expressing relationship
Neural (referring to nerves)
-algia
Pain
Gastralgia (stomach pain)
allotri-
Strange, foreign
Allotriuria (strange condition of the urine)
ambi-
Both
Ambilateral (affecting both sides)
amphi-
Both
Amphibious (on land and in water)
an-
Without, lack of
Anaerobic (without oxygen)
ana-
Up, back, again
Anatomy (a cutting up)
andro-
Male
Androcyte (male sex cell)
angio-
Vessel
Angiography (radiography of blood vessels)
ante-
Before, forward
Antecubital (before elbow)
anti-
Against, reversed
Antiperistalsis (reversed peristalsis)
apo-
Separation, off
Apocope (cutting off)
arthr-
Joint
Arthritis (inflammation of a joint)
-ary
Associated with
Urinary (associated with urine)
-ase
Enzyme
Amylase (catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch)
-asis
Condition, state of
Homeostasis (state of staying the same)
atelo-
Incomplete
Atelopodia (incomplete development of foot)
auto-
Self
Autolysis (self breakdown)
basi-
Base or foundation
Basicranial (base of skull)
bi-
Twice, double
Bilateral (both sides)
bio-
Live
Biology (study of living)
-blast-
Bud, germ
Fibroblast (fiber - producing cell)
brady-
Slow
Bradycardia (slow heart rate)
brevi-
Short
Brevicollis (shortness of the neck)
bucco-
Cheek
Buccally (toward the cheek)
-c
Expressing relationship
Cardiac (referring to heart)
carcin-
Cancer
Carcinogenic (causing cancer)
cardio-
Heart
Cardiopathy (heart disease)
cata-
Down, lower
Catabolism (breaking down)
cephal-
Head
Cephalic (toward the head)
-cele
Hollow, cavity
Blastocele (cavity inside a blastocyst)
celio-
Abdomen
Celioma (tumor of the abdomen)
cerebrocord)
Brain
Cerebrospinal (referring to brain and spinal
chol-
Bile
Acholic (without bile)
cholecyst- Gallbladder
contraction)
Cholecystokinin (causes gallbladder
chondr-
Cartilage
Chondrocyte (cartilage cell)
chronosystems)
Time
Chronobiology (effect of time on living
-cide
Kill
Bactericide (agent that kills bacteria)
circum-
Around, about
Circumduction (circular movement)
-clast-
Smash, break
Osteoclast (cell that breaks down bone)
coenzyme)
With, together
Coenzyme (molecule that functions with an
colpo-
Vagina
Colpoxerosis (abnormal dryness of vagina)
com-
With, together
Commissure (coming together)
con-
With, together
Convergence (to incline together)
contra-
Against, opposite
Contralateral (opposite side)
copro-
Feces
Coprology (study of the feces)
crypto-
Hidden
Cryptorchidism (undescended or hidden testes)
cyano-
Blue
Cyanosis (bluish discoloration)
cysto-
Bladder or sac
Cystocele (hernia of a bladder)
-cyte-
Cell
Erythrocyte (red blood cell)
cyto-
Cell
Cytoskeleton (supportive fibers inside a cell)
de-
Away from
Dehydrate (remove water)
demi-
Half
Demilune (halfmoon or crescent shaped)
derm-
Skin
Dermatology (study of the skin)
di-
Two
Diploid (two sets of chromosomes)
dia-
Through, apart, across
Diapedesis (ooze through)
dis-
Reversal, apart from
Dissect (cut apart)
-duct-
Draw
Abduct (lead away from)
-dynia
Pain
Mastodynia (breast pain)
dys-
Difficult, bad
Dysmentia (bad mind)
e-
Out, away from
Eviscerate (take out viscera)
ec-
Out from
Ectopic (out of place)
ecto-
On outer side
Ectoderm (outer skin)
-ectomy
Cut out
Appendectomy (cut out the appendix)
-edem-
Swell
Myoedema (swelling of a muscle)
em-
In
Empyema (pus in)
-emia
Blood
Anemia (deficiency of blood)
en-
In
Encephalon (in the brain)
endo-
Within
Endometrium (within the uterus)
entero-
Intestine
Enteritis (inflammation of the intestine)
epi-
Upon, on
Epidermis (on the skin)
erythro-
Red
Erythrocyte (red blood cell)
eu-
Well, good
Euphoria (well-being)
ex-
Out, away from
Exhalation (breathe out)
exo-
Outside, on outer side
Exogenous (originating outside)
extra-
Outside
Extracellular (outside the cell)
-facient
Causing, making
Abortifacient (causing abortion)
-ferent
Carry
Afferent (carrying into a location)
-ferous
Producing, bearing
Odoriferous (giving off an odor)
-form
Expressing resemblance
Fusiform (resembling a fusion)
galacto-
Milk
Galactophygous (arresting milk secretion)
gastro-
Stomach
Gastrodynia (stomach ache)
-gen
Producing
Cryogen (producing cold)
-genesis
Produce, origin
Pathogenesis (origin of disease)
gloss-
Tongue
Hypoglossal (under the tongue)
glyco-
Sugar, sweet
Glycolysis (breakdown of sugar)
-gram
A drawing
Myogram (drawing of a muscle contraction)
-graph
Instrument that records
contraction)
Myograph (instrument measuring muscle
helio-
Sun
Heliosis (sunstroke)
hem-
Blood
Hemolysis (breakdown of blood)
hemi-
Half
Hemiplegia (paralysis of half of the body)
hepato-
Liver
Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
hetero-
Different, other
Heterozygous (different genes for a trait)
hexa-
Six
Hexamer (contains six monomers)
hist-
Tissue
Histology (study of tissues)
homeo-
Same
Homeostasis (state of staying the same)
hydro-
Wet, water
Hydrocephalus (fluid within the head)
hyper-
Over, above, excessive
Hypertrophy (overgrowth)
hypo-
Under, below, deficient
Hypotension (low blood pressure)
hyster-
Uterus
Hysterectomy (removal of uterus)
-ia
Expressing condition
Neuralgia (pain in nerve)
-iatr-
Treat, cure
Pediatrics (treatment of children)
-id
Expressing condition
Flaccid (state of being weak)
idio-
Self-produced
Idiopathic (self-originated, of unknown cause)
im-
Not
Impermeable (not permeable)
in-
In, into
Injection (forcing fluid into)
infra-
Below
Infraorbital (below the eye)
inter-
Between
Intercostal (between the ribs)
intra-
Within
Intraocular (within the eye)
ipsi-
Same
Ipsilateral (same side)
-ism
Condition, state of
Dimorphism (condition of two forms)
iso-
Equal
Isotonic (same tension)
-itis
Inflammation
Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
-ity
Expressing condition
Acidity (condition of acid)
juxta-
Near or adjoining
Juxtaspinal (close to spinal column)
kerato-
Cornea or horny tissue
Keratinization (formation of a hard tissue)
-kin-
Move
Kinesiology (study of movement)
lact-
Milk
Lactation (secretion of milk)
leuko-
White
Leukocyte (white blood cell)
-liga-
Bind
Ligament (structure that binds bone to bone)
lipo-
Fat
Lipolysis (breakdown of fats)
litho-
Stone, calculus
Lithogenic (promoting formation of calculi)
-logy
Study
Histology (study of tissue)
-lysis
Breaking up, dissolving
Glycolysis (breakdown of sugar)
macro-
Large
Macrophage (large phagocytic cell)
mal-
Bad
Malnutrition (bad nutrition)
-mania
Madness
Necromania (morbid attraction to dead bodies)
malacomammo-
Soft
Breast
Osteomalacia (soft bone)
Mammogram (X-ray film of breasts)
mast-
Breast
Mastectomy (excision of the breast)
mega-
Great
Megacolon (large colon)
melano-
Black
Melanocyte (black pigment producing skin cell)
meso-
Middle, mid
Mesoderm (middle skin)
meta-
Beyond, after, change
Metastasis (beyond original position)
micro-
Small
Microorganism (small organism)
mito-
Thread, filament
Mitosis (threadlike chromosomes/cell division)
mono-
One, single
Monosaccharide (one sugar)
-morph-
Form
Morphology (study of form)
multi-
Many, much
Multinucleated (two or more nuclei)
myelo-
Marrow, spinal cord
Myeloid (derived from bone marrow)
myo-
Muscle
Myocardium (heart muscle)
narco-
Numbness
Narcotic (drug producing stupor or weakness)
necro-
Death
Necropsy (examination of dead body)
neo-
New
Neonatal (first four weeks of life)
nephro-
Kidney
Nephrectomy (removal of a kidney)
neuro-
Nerve
Neuritis (inflammation of a nerve)
oculo-
Eye
Oculomotor (movement of the eye)
odonto-
Tooth or teeth
Odontomy (cutting a tooth)
-oid
Expressing resemblance
Epidermoid (resembling epidermis)
oligo-
Few, scanty, little
Oliguria (little urine)
-oma
Tumor
Carcinoma (cancerous tumor)
omni-
All
Omnidirectional (involving all directions)
-op-
See
Myopia (nearsighted)
ophthalm-
Eye
Ophthalmology (study of the eye)
ortho-
Straight, normal
Orthodontics (straightening of teeth)
-ory
Referring to
Olfactory (relating to the sense of smell)
-ose
Full of
Adipose (full of fat)
-osis
A condition of
Osteoporosis (porous condition of bone)
osteo-
Bone
Osteocyte (bone cell)
oto-
Ear
Otolith (ear stone)
-ous
Expressing material
Serous (composed of serum)
pan-
All
Panphobia (fear of everything)
para-
Beside, beyond, near to
Paranasal (near the nose)
-pathy
Disease
Cardiopathy (disease of the heart)
pedo-
Child
Pedophilic (fond of children)
-penia
Deficiency
Thrombocytopenia (deficiency of thrombocytes)
penta-
Five
Pentamer (contains five monomers)
per-
Through, excessive
Permeate (pass through)
peri-
Around
Periosteum (around bone)
-phag-
Eat
Dysphagia (difficult eating or swallowing)
-phas-
Speak, utter
Aphasia (unable to speak)
-phil-
Like, love
Hydrophilic (water-loving)
phleb-
Vein
Phlebotomy (incision into a vein)
phlogo-
Inflammation
Phlogogenic (causing inflammation)
-phobia
Fear
Hydrophobia (fear of water)
phyto-
Plant
Phytoestrogens (estrogens from plant sources)
-plas-
Form, grow
Neoplasm (new growth)
-plegia
pleo-
Paralyze
More than one
Paraplegia (paralysis of lower limbs)
Pleomorphism (having more than one form)
-pne-
Breathe
Apnea (lack of breathing)
pneumo-
Air, gas, or lungs
Pneumothorax (air in the thorax)
pod-
Foot
Podiatry (treatment of foot disorders)
-poie-
Make
Hematopoiesis (make blood cells)
poly-
Many, much
Polycythemia (excess red blood cells)
post-
After, behind
Postpartum (after childbirth)
pre-
Before, in front of
Prenatal (before birth)
pro-
Before, in front of
Prosect (to cut before-for demonstration)
proctorectum)
Anus, rectum
Proctoscope (instrument for examining the
pseudo-
False
Pseudostratified (falsely layered)
psycho-
Mind, soul
Psychosomatic (effect of the mind on the body)
pyo-
Pus
Pyoderma (pus in the skin)
quasi-
Almost, resembling
Quasidominance (mimicking dominant inheritance)
re-
Back, again, contrary
Reflect (bend back)
reno-
Kidney
Renocortical (cortex of kidney)
retro-
Backward, located behind
rhino-
Nose
Rhinodynia (pain in nose)
-rrhagia
Burst forth, pour
Hemorrhage (bleed)
-rrhea
Flow, discharge
Rhinorrhea (nasal discharge)
sarco-
Flesh or fleshy
Sarcoma (connective tissue tumor)
sclero-
Hard
Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
-scope
Examine
Endoscope (instrument)
semi-
Half
Semilunar (shaped like half a moon)
somato-
Body
Somatotropin (hormone causing body growth)
-stasis
Stop, stand still
Hemostasis (stop bleeding)
-stat
Inhibit
Bacteriostat (inhibiting growth of bacteria)
Retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum)
steno-
Narrow
Stenosis (narrow canal)
-stomy
Make artificial opening
Tracheostomy (make an opening into the trachea)
sub-
Under
Subcutaneous (under skin)
super-
Above, upper, excessive
Supercilia (upper brows)
supra-
Above, upon
Suprarenal (above kidney)
sym-
Together, with
Symphysis (growing together)
syn-
Together, with
Synapsis (joining together)
tachy-
Fast, swift
Tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
tetra-
Four
Tetracetate (four acetic acid molecules)
therm-
Heat
Thermometer (device for measuring heat)
toco-
Labor
Tocophobia (dread of childbirth)
-tomy
Cut, incise
Phlebotomy (incision of a vein)
tox-
Poison
Antitoxin (substance effective against poison)
trans-
Across, through, beyond
Transection (cut across)
tri-
Three
Triceps (three-headed muscle)
-troph-
Nourish
Hypertrophy (enlargement or overnourishment)
-tropic
Changing, influencing
Gonadotropic (influencing the gonads)
ultra-
Excess, beyond
Ultraviolet (beyond violet end of spectrum)
uni-
One
Unilateral (one side)
-uria
Urine
Polyuria (excess urine)
vaso-
Vessel
Vasoactive (affecting caliber of blood vessels)
vene-
Vein
Venesection (phlebotomy)
viscer-
Internal organ
Visceromotor (movement of internal organs)
vivi-
Alive
Vivisection (surgery on living animals)
xeno-
Foreign
Xenograft (graft of tissue to another species)
zoo-
Animal
Zoogenous (acquired from animals)