COMMONLY USED PREFIXES & SUFFIXES IN NURSING
~PREFIXES~
This list is the only key used for the prefix quiz; spelling must be correct.
Prefix:
a:
ab:
acro:
ad:
adeno:
amb, ambi:
angi, angio:
ante:
anti:
arteri, arterio:
arthro:
baro:
bili:
brachio:
brady:
bronch, bronchi:
cardio:
cephal, cephalo:
cervico:
cholecysto:
circum:
colp, colpo:
contra:
costo:
cyst, cysto:
derm, derma:
dorsi, dorso:
dys:
ecto:
entero:
epi:
erythr, erythro:
etio:
ferro:
fibro:
gastro:
glosso:
gluco, glyco:
hemi:
hemo, hema:
hepat, hepato:
histo:
hystero:
ileo:
Updated 9_13 NW
Meaning:
without
from, away from or absent
extremity or top
toward or adherence or increase
gland
both or on both sides
blood vessel or lymph vessel
before
against
artery
joint
pressure or weight
bile
arm
slow
airway
heart
head
neck
gallbladder
around
vagina
against or opposite
rib
bladder
skin
back
abnormal or bad or difficult or painful
outer or on the outside or without
intestines
upon or over or in addition to
red
cause
iron
fibers or fibrous tissues
stomach
tongue
sugar
half
blood
liver
tissue
uterus
ileum
How it is used:
amenorrhea
abduct
acromegaly
adduct
adenocarcinoma
ambidexterous
angiography
antepartum
antibiotic
arteriogram
arthritis
baroreceptor
bilirubin
brachial
bradycardia
bronchitis
cardiovascular
cephalic
cervical
cholecystectomy
circumcision
colposcopy
contraindicate
costovertebral
cystitis
dermabrasion
dorsogluteal
dyspnea
ectopic
enteritis
epidural
erythrocyte
etiology
ferrous sulfate
fibrocystic
gastric
glossopharyngeal
glycogenolysis
hemiplegia
hemophilia
hepatitis
histology
hysterectomy
ileostomy
~PREFIXES continued~
This list is the only key used for the prefix quiz; spelling must be correct.
Prefix:
Meaning:
intra:
laparo:
laryngo:
latero:
leuk, leuko:
myel, myelo:
myo:
nephro:
neuro:
oculo:
oligo:
ophthalmo:
orchi, orchid:
ortho:
osteo:
oto:
pan:
path:
ped, pedi, pedo:
peri:
pharyngo:
phlebo:
pneumo:
poly:
proct, procto:
pseudo:
psych:
pyelo:
pyo:
quadri:
recto:
ren, reno:
rhino:
sacro:
sclero:
semi:
sero:
somat, somato:
supra:
tachy
thoraci, thoraco:
thrombo:
trans:
uro:
utero:
vaso:
ventro:
within
intramuscular
abdominal wall or flank
laparoscopic
larynx
laryngospasm
side
lateral
white or related to white blood cell
leukemia
spinal cord or bone marrow
myelogram
muscle
myocardium
kidney
nephrology
nerve
neuropathy
eye
oculomotor
deficiency or diminished or few or small
oliguria
eye
ophthalmoscope
testicle
orchiectomy
straight or correct or in proper order
orthopedic
bone
osteoarthritis
ear
otitis media
all or entire
panhysterectomy
disease
pathologist
foot
pediform
around
pericarditis
pharynx
pharyngeal
vein
phlebitis
air or lung
pneumonia
much or many
polyuria
anus or rectum
proctologist
false
pseudoaneurysm
mind
psychotherapy
pelvis
pyelogram
pus
pyocyst
four
quadriplegic
rectum or straight
rectal
kidney
renal
nose
rhinoplasty
sacrum
sacroiliac
hard or relating to the sclera
scleroderma
half
semi-Fowler’s
serum
sero-sanguinous
body
somatization
above or beyond or on top
suprapubic
fast
tachycardia
chest or chest wall
thoracotomy
blood clot
thrombosis
across or over or through or beyond transmural
urine
urosepsis
uterus
uterine
blood vessel
vasodilation
abdomen
ventral
Updated 9_13 NW
How it is used:
~ SUFFIXES ~
This list is the only key used for the suffix quiz; spelling must be correct.
Suffix:
able:
al:
algia:
ase:
cele:
cide:
cle, cule:
ectomy:
emesis:
emia:
esis:
esthesia:
genic:
gram:
iasis:
ic:
ism:
itis
ize:
lith:
logy:
lysis:
megaly:
oma:
opia:
ostomy:
otomy:
penia:
pexy:
phobia:
phylaxis:
plasia:
plasty:
plegia:
poiesis:
rhea:
rhage, rhagia:
rhaphy:
sclerosis:
scope:
trophic, trophy:
uria:
Updated 9_13 NW
Meaning:
able to or capable of
pertaining to or characterized by
pain
enzyme
tumor or swelling or hernia
causing death or destruction or killing
little
surgical removal of
vomiting
blood or in the blood
action or condition or pathological state
sensation
forming
a tracing or a mark
condition or pathological state
pertaining to or relating to
condition or theory
inflammation of
to treat by special method
stone or calculus
science of or study of
disintegration or setting free or reduction
enlargement of a body part
tumor
vision
surgical opening
surgical incision
deficiency or decrease from normal
fixation or surgical fixation
abnormal fear
protection
growth or cellular proliferation
repair or reconstruction
paralysis
production or formation
to flow or excessive discharge
excessive bleeding or
excessive fluid discharge
suturing or stitching
hardness or dryness
an instrument for viewing or
an instrument for examining
nourishment
urine or in the urine
How it is used:
agreeable
perineal
neuralgia
lipase
cystocele
fungicide
corpuscle
mastectomy
hematemesis
bacteremia
diuresis
paresthesias
atherogenic
myelogram
psoriasis
medic
hypothyroidism
appendicitis
cauterize
cholelithiasis
neurology
hemolysis
cardiomegaly
cardinoma
myopia
colostomy
tracheotomy
neutropenia
colpopexy
acrophobia
anaphylaxis
dysplasia
arthroplasty
hemiplegia
erythropoiesis
diarrhea
menorrhagia
colporraphy
atherosclerosis
otoscope
myotrophic
hematuria