Medical Terminology
lecture 4
Prefixes and suffixes
Ultra, super, supra
hyper
The prefix pre- means before. Preoperative means
before or preceding an operation.
The prefix peri- (pehr-e) means around. Perioperative
means pertaining to the period around an operation or
the period before, during, and after an operation.
The prefix post- means after. Postoperative means
after an operation.
Pe
Epi
M
et
Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word or root to
modify its meaning. For example, the term operative
can be modified using various prefixes.
a
Prefixes
r
Inter
Intra
Extra
Trans
Infra
Sub, hypo
Many prefixes have another prefix whose meaning is
opposite of its own. Initially, when learning prefixes it
is helpful to learn them in these pairs or in similar
groups (Table 1–1 and Figure 1–1).
TABLE 1–1
Contrasting Prefixes
Without a prefix the root emetic means pertaining to
vomiting.
dys- (dihs) means difficult, painful, or bad.
dysphagia means difficulty eating or swallowing.
a- (ah or ā) means without or no.
atraumatic means without injury.
an- (ahn) means without or no.
anuria means absence of urine.
ad- (ahd) means toward.
adduction means move toward the midline.
anti- (ahn-tı̄ or ahn-tih) means against.
antiemetics work against or prevent vomiting.
eu- (yoo) means good, easy, or normal.
euthyroid means having a normally functioning thyroid
endo- (ehn-dō) means within or inside.
ex- (ehcks) or exo- (ehcks-ō) means without, out of,
endocrine means to secrete internally.
endo- means within or inside.
endoparasite is an organism that lives within the body of
exocrine means to secrete externally (via a duct).
ecto- (ehck-tō) means outside.
ectoparasite is an organism that lives on the outer surface
Without a prefix the root traumatic means pertaining to
injury.
Without a prefix the root uria means urination.
ab- (ahb) means away from.
abduction means to take away from midline.
gland.
outside, or away from.
the host.
hyper- (hı̄-pər) means elevated or more than normal.
hyperglycemia means elevated amounts of blood
glucose.
inter- (ihn-tər) means between.
intercostal means between the ribs.
poly- (pohl-ē) means many.
polyuria means elevated amount or frequency of
urination.
of the host.
hypo- (hı̄-pō) means depressed or less than normal.
hypoglycemia means depressed amounts of blood
glucose.
intra- (ihn-trah) means within.
intramuscular means within the muscle.
oligo- (ohl-ih-gō) means scant or little.
oliguria means depressed amount or frequency of
urination.
pre- (prē) means before.
preanesthetic means pertaining to before anesthesia.
sub- (suhb) means below, under, or less.
post- (pōst) means after.
postanesthetic means pertaining to after anesthesia.
super- (soo-pər) and supra- (soo-prah) mean above,
sublingual means under the tongue.
supernumerary means more than the regular number.
suprascapular means above the shoulder blade.
beyond, or excessive.
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Medical Terminology
TABLE 1-2
Directional Prefixes and Their Meanings
Prefix
epi
extra
hyper
Pronunciation
(eh-pē)
(ehcks-trah)
(hi-pər)
hypo
infra
inter
intra
meta
per
sub
super
(hı̄-pō)
(ihn-frah)
(ihn-tər)
(ihn-trah)
(meht-ah)
(pər)
(suhb)
(soo-pər)
supra
(soo-prah)
trans
ultra
(trahnz)
(uhl-trah)
Definition
upper
outside
above, increased, or more
than normal
below, under, or decreased
below or beneath
between
within
beyond
throughout
below, under, or decreased
above, increased, or more
than normal
above, increased, or more
than normal
across
above, increased, or more
than normal
The suffix -ectomy means surgical removal or excision. Gastrectomy is surgical removal of the stomach.
Many suffixes can be grouped together by meaning or
by the category they modify. Initially, when learning
suffixes it is easiest if the learner groups them by meaning or category.
“PERTAINING TO” SUFFIXES
-ac (ahck), as in cardiac (pertaining to the heart)
-al (ahl), as in renal (pertaining to the kidney)
-an (ahn), as in ovarian (pertaining to the ovary)
-ar (ahr), as in lumbar (pertaining to the loin)
-ary (ahr-ē), as in alimentary (pertaining to the gastrointestinal tract)
-eal (ē-ahl), as in laryngeal (pertaining to the larynx)
-ic (ihck), as in enteric (pertaining to the intestines)
-ine (ihn), as in uterine (pertaining to the uterus)
-ous (uhs), as in cutaneous (pertaining to the skin)
-tic (tihck), as in nephrotic (pertaining to the kidneys)
SURGICAL SUFFIXES
-ectomy (ehck-tō-mē) surgical removal, as in
mastectomy, surgical removal of the breast or mammary glands
-pexy (pehck-sē) suture to stabilize, as in
gastropexy, surgically stabilizing the stomach to the
abdominal wall
-plasty (plahs-tē) surgical repair, as in rhinoplasty, surgical repair of the nose
-stomy (stō-mē) surgically created opening, as in
colostomy, a surgically created opening between the
colon and body surface
-tomy (tō-mē) cutting into, as in laparotomy, an
incision into the abdomen
PROCEDURAL SUFFIXES
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-centesis (sehn-tē-sihs) surgical puncture to remove fluid or gas (either for diagnosis or to remove
excess fluid or gas), as in cystocentesis, a surgical
puncture of the urinary bladder with a needle to remove fluid (urine)
-gram (grahm) record of, as in electrocardiogram, the electrocardiographic hard copy
record
-graph (grahf) instrument that records (or used
as record), as in electrocardiograph, the machine
that records the electrical activity of the heart
-graphy (grahf-ē) procedure that records, as in
electrocardiography, the procedure used to record
the electrical activity of the heart
-lysis (lı̄-sihs) separation or breakdown, as in
Prefixes and suffixes
urinalysis, separation of the urine into its constituents
-scope (skōp) instrument to visually examine, as
in endoscope, an instrument used to visually examine inside the body
-scopy (skōp-ē) procedure to visually examine, as
in endoscopy, the procedure of visually examining
inside the body
-therapy (thehr-ah-pē) treatment, as in chemotherapy, treatment with chemical substances or
drugs
DOUBLE “R” SUFFIXES
-rrhagia or -rrhage (rā-jē-ah or rihdj) bursting
forth, as in hemorrhage, bursting forth of blood
from the vessels
-rrhaphy (rahf-ē) to suture, as in enterorrhaphy,
suturing of the intestines
-rrhea (rē-ah) flow, discharge, as in diarrhea,
complete discharge of the bowels
-rrhexis (rehck-sihs) rupture, as in myorrhexis,
rupture of the muscle
CONDITIONAL SUFFIXES
-algia and -dynia (ahl-jē-ah or dihn-ē-ah) pain,
as in arthralgia and arthrodynia, or joint pain
-itis (ı̄-tihs) inflammation, as in hepatitis, inflammation of the liver
-malacia (mah-lā-shē-ah) abnormal softening, as
in osteomalacia, abnormal softening of bone
-megaly (mehg-ah-lē) enlargement, as in cardiomegaly, enlargement of the heart
-osis (ō-sihs) abnormal condition, as in cardiosis, an abnormal condition of the heart
-pathy (pahth-ē) disease, as in enteropathy, disease of the intestines
-sclerosis (skleh-rō-sihs) abnormal hardening, as in
arteriosclerosis, abnormal hardening of the arteries
-um (uhm) structure, as in pericardium, the
structure surrounding the heart
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Noun
Suffix
Adjective
Suffix
cyanosis
-osis
cyanotic
-tic
anemia
-emia
anemic
-ic
mucus
-us
mucous
-ous
ilium
-um
iliac
-ac
condyle
-e
condylar
-ar
carpus
-us
carpal
-al
FIGURE 1–2 Suffix variation depending on usage
Suffixes may change the part of speech of a word.
Different suffixes may change the word from a noun
(naming people, places, or things) to an adjective
(descriptor) (Figure 1-2). Examples of this include
cyanosis is a noun meaning condition of blue discoloration, whereas cyanotic is an adjective
meaning pertaining to blue discoloration
anemia is a noun meaning a blood condition of deficient red blood cells or hemoglobin, whereas
anemic is an adjective meaning pertaining to a
blood condition of deficient red blood cells or hemoglobin
mucus is a noun meaning a slime-like substance that is
composed of glandular secretion, salts, cells, and
leukocytes, whereas mucous is an adjective meaning
pertaining to mucus
ilium is a noun meaning a part of the hip, whereas iliac
is an adjective pertaining to the hip
condyle is a noun meaning a rounded projection on a
bone, whereas condylar is an adjective meaning pertaining to a rounded projection on a bone
carpus is a noun meaning the joint between the radius
and ulna and metacarpal bones, whereas carpal is an
adjective meaning pertaining to the joint between
the radius and ulna and metacarpal bones
Medical Terminology
Specialties and Specialists
Suffixes that indicate specialties and/or specialists are presented throughout the study
of medical terminology, particularly as you learn more about specialties, subspecialties,
and the physicians who choose to pursue these specialties as lifelong careers. By the time
a physician has earned the title of Board Certified or Diplomate in a particular field of
study, this person may have invested as much as three to seven years studying beyond
the basic medical degree. The following list identifies the most frequently used suffixes
that denote specialties and/or specialists.
Suffix
Meaning
Example
-ician
specialist in a field of
study
obstetrician (specialist in the field of study of pregnancy and childbirth)
-iatrics
relating to medicine,
physicians, or medical treatment
pediatrics (field of medicine that deals with children)
-iatry
medical treatment,
medical profession
psychiatry (field of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness)
-iatrist
one who treats; a
physician
psychiatrist (specialist in the study, treatment, and prevention of mental illness)
-ian
specialist in a field of
study
geriatrician (specialist in the field of study of the aging)
-ist
practitioner
pharmacist (one who is licensed to prepare and dispense medications)
-logist
one who specializes
in the study of
biologist (one who specializes in the study of living
things)
-logy
the study of
biology (the study of living things)
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