Nursing
Learning Centre
Common Prefixes, Suffixes &
Combining Forms
Common Prefixes
a-; anabadante-; pre-; proanti-; contrabradycon-; syn-; symdia-; transdysecto-; exo-; extraen-; endo-; intraepihemihyperhypointermacromesometamicromono-; unimultineonullioligopara-
Meaning
without
away from
to, toward, near
before
against, opposed to
slow
together, with
through, throughout,
across
painful, difficult, faulty
out, away
within
upon
half
above, excessive
below, deficient
between
large, long
middle
beyond, after, change
small
one
many
new
none
few, deficient
alongside, beside, near
peripolypostreretrosub-; infrasuper-; supratachy-
surrounding, outer
many, much
after
again, back
backward, behind
below, under
above, excessive
fast, rapid
© 2013 Vancouver Community College Learning Centre.
Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes.
Examples
aphagia; anemia
abduction; abnormal
adrenal; adduction
antegrade; premature; prothrombin
antibody; contraceptive
bradycardia; bradykinesia
congenital; synthesis; symbiosis;
dialysis; diagnosis; transplant;
transfusion
dysentery; dysplasia
ectoderm; exocrine; extracelluar
encephalitis; endocytosis; intracellular
epidermal; epidural
hemisphere; hemiplegia
hypertonic; hyperglycemia
hypotonic; hypothermia
intercellular fluid; interneuron;
macrophage; macrocephaly
mesoderm
metastasis; metacarpal
microvascular; microembolus
monocyte; unilateral
multi-infarct dementia
neonatal; neoplasia
nulliparous
oligotrophia; oligospermia
parasympathetic nervous system;
parathyroid gland
pericardium; perinatal
polycystic; polymyalgia; polygenic
postoperative
reuptake
retrovirus; retrosternal
subcutaneous; infraumbilical
suprarenal; superficial;
tachycardia
Authored by by
Katherine
Cheung
Emily Simpson
Common Combining
Forms
abdomin/o; lapar/o
aden/o
angi/o; vas/o; vascul/o
arthr/o
carcin/o
cardi/o
cephal/o
col/o; colon/o
crin/o
cyan/o
cyt/o
derm/o; dermat/o;
cutane/o
enter/o
erythr/o
esthesi/o
fibr/o
gastr/o
gen/o
gynec/o
hem/o; hemat/o
hepat/o
hist/o
hydr/o
leuk/o
lip/o
nas/o; rhin/o
nephr/o; ren/o
neur/o
or/o
osteo/o
path/o
ped/o
phag/o
phas/o
phob/o
plas/o
pneum/o; pneumon/o
py/o
scler/o
ur/o; urin/o
Meaning
Examples
abdomen
gland
vessel
joint
cancer
heart
head
colon, large intestine
to secrete
blue
cell
skin
abdominal; laparoscopy
adenoid; adenitis
angioplasty; vasectomy; vascular
arthrosclerosis; arthritis
carcinogenic
cardiovascular; pericardium
cephalic; cephalalgia
colonoscopy; colitis
endocrine system
cyanotic
leukocyte; erythrocyte; cytoplasm
hypodermic; dermatological;
cutaneous
dysentery; enterospasm
erythrocyte; erythropoietin
anesthesia
cystic fibrosis
gastric acid; gastrointestinal tract
carcinogen
gynecology
hemolysis; hematoma
hepatic vein
histogenesis
hydrophilic; hydrocephalus
leukocytes; leukemia
lipoid; hyperlipemia
rhinoplasty; nasal
nephronectomy; suprarenal
neuritis
oral
osteomalacia
pathogen; pathophysiology
pediatric
phagocyte; phagocytosis
dysphasia
hydrophobia; photophobic
dysplasia
pneumonia; pneumogram
pyorrhea
multiple sclerosis
urogenital ; urologist
small intestine
red
sensation
fiber
stomach
origin, production
woman
blood
liver
tissue
water
white
fat
nose
kidney
nerve
mouth
bone
disease
child
eat, swallow
speech
exaggerated fear
formation
air, lung
pus
hard
urine
© 2013 Vancouver Community College Learning Centre.
Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes.
2
Common Suffixes
Meaning
Examples
-ac; -al; -ar; -ary; -eal;
-ous; -ic; -tic
pertaining to (adjective
endings)
-algia; -dynia
-e; -us
-ectomy
-emia
-genesis
-ia; ism
-icle; -ole; -ula; -ule
pain
noun marker
excision, removal
blood condition
origin, production
condition of
small
-itis
-ium
-lysis
-malacia
-megaly
-oid
-oma
-osis
-penia
-phil; -philia
-plasty
inflammation
structure, tissue
breaking down, dissolution
softening
enlargement
resembling
tumor
condition, increase
abnormal reduction
attraction for
surgical repair;
reconstruction
formation
falling, downward
displacement
to burst forth
discharge
rupture
instrument for examination
process of examination
stop, stand
creation of an opening
cardiac; pedal; glandular;
pulmonary; esophageal; fibrous;
toxic; cyanotic
cephalalgia; cephalodynia
erythrocyte; thymus
appendectomy; tonsillectomy
hyperlipemia; leukemia;
pathogenesis; spermatogenesis
pneumonia; hypothyroidism
ventricle; arteriole; macula;
pustule
tonsillitis; appendicitis
endothelium; pericardium
hemolysis; hydrolysis
osteomalacia
hepatomegaly; splenomegaly
lipoid
carcinoma; lymphademona
sclerosis; leukocytosis
pancytopenia; thyropenia
neutrophil; hemophilia
rhinoplasty; bronchoplasty
-poiesis
-ptosis
-rrhage; -rrhagia
-rrhea
-rrhexis
-scope
-scopy
-stasis
-stomy
© 2013 Vancouver Community College Learning Centre.
Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes.
hemopoiesis; erythropoiesis
nephroptosis; hepatoptosis
hemorrhage; menorrhagia
diarrhea; rhinorrhea
cardiorrhexis; angiorrhexis
microscope; endoscope
microscopy; endoscopy
hemostasis; homeostasis
colostomy
3