LEARNING PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES
SBC COLLEGE ANATOMY
Bill Palmer
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)
acuneedles)
Needle
Acupuncture (insertion of
ad-
To, toward, near to
Adrenal (near the kidney)
adeno-
Gland
Adenoma (glandular tumor)
adipo-
Fat
Adipocyte (fat cell)
aerooxygen)
Air, gas
Aerobic (growing in presence of
-agogue
flow of milk)
Leading, inducing
Galactagogue (promoting the
-al
Expressing relationship
Neural (referring to nerves)
-algia
Pain
Gastralgia (stomach pain)
allotrithe urine)
Strange, foreign
Allotriuria (strange condition of
ambisides)
Both
Ambilateral (affecting both
amphiwater)
Both
Amphibious (on land and in
an-
Without, lack of
Anaerobic (without oxygen)
ana-
Up, back, again
Anatomy (a cutting up)
andro-
Male
Androcyte (male sex cell)
angioblood vessels)
Vessel
Angiography (radiography of
ante-
Before, forward
Antecubital (before elbow)
1
antiperistalsis)
Against, reversed
Antiperistalsis (reversed
apo-
Separation, off
Apocope (cutting off)
arthr-
Joint
Arthritis (inflammation of a joint)
-ary
Associated with
Urinary (associated with urine)
-ase
Enzyme
hydrolysis of starch)
Amylase (catalyzes the
-asis
the same)
Homeostasis (state of staying
Condition, state of
ateloIncomplete
development of foot)
Atelopodia (incomplete
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)
brevineck)
Short
Brevicollis (shortness of the
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
blastocyst)
Hollow, cavity
Blastocele (cavity inside a
celio-
Abdomen
Celioma (tumor of the abdomen)
cerebroand spinal cord)
Brain
Cerebrospinal (referring to brain
chol-
Bile
Acholic (without bile)
2
cholecystGallbladder
gallbladder contraction)
Cholecystokinin (causes
chondr-
Cartilage
Chondrocyte (cartilage cell)
chronoliving systems)
Time
Chronobiology (effect of time on
-cide
bacteria)
Kill
Bactericide (agent that kills
circummovement)
Around, about
Circumduction (circular
-clastdown bone)
Smash, break
Osteoclast (cell that breaks
coWith, together
functions with an enzyme)
Coenzyme (molecule that
colpoof vagina)
Vagina
Colpoxerosis (abnormal dryness
com-
With, together
Commissure (coming together)
contogether)
With, together
Convergence (to incline
contra-
Against, opposite
Contralateral (opposite side)
copro-
Feces
Coprology (study of the feces)
cryptoor hidden testes)
Hidden
Cryptorchidism (undescended
cyano-
Blue
Cyanosis (bluish discoloration)
cysto-
Bladder or sac
Cystocele (hernia of a bladder)
-cyte-
Cell
Erythrocyte (red blood cell)
cytoinside a cell)
Cell
Cytoskeleton (supportive fibers
de-
Away from
Dehydrate (remove water)
demishaped)
Half
Demilune (halfmoon or crescent
derm-
Skin
Dermatology (study of the skin)
dichromosomes)
Two
Diploid (two sets of
dia-
Through, apart, across
Diapedesis (ooze through)
3
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
appendix)
Cut out
Appendectomy (cut out the
-edemmuscle)
Swell
Myoedema (swelling of a
em-
In
Empyema (pus in)
-emia
Blood
Anemia (deficiency of blood)
en-
In
Encephalon (in the brain)
endo-
Within
Endometrium (within the uterus)
enterointestine)
Intestine
Enteritis (inflammation of the
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
abortion)
Causing, making
-ferent
location)
Carry
Afferent (carrying into a
-ferous
Producing, bearing
Odoriferous (giving off an odor)
-form
Expressing resemblance
Fusiform (resembling a fusion)
galactosecretion)
Milk
Galactophygous (arresting milk
4
Abortifacient (causing
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
contraction)
A drawing
Myogram (drawing of a muscle
-graph
Instrument that records
measuring muscle contraction)
Myograph (instrument
helio-
Sun
Heliosis (sunstroke)
hem-
Blood
Hemolysis (breakdown of blood)
hemithe body)
Half
Hemiplegia (paralysis of half of
hepatoliver)
Liver
Hepatitis (inflammation of the
heterofor a trait)
Different, other
Heterozygous (different genes
hexamonomers)
Six
Hexamer (contains six
hist-
Tissue
Histology (study of tissues)
homeothe same)
Same
Homeostasis (state of staying
hydrohead)
Wet, water
Hydrocephalus (fluid within the
hyper-
Over, above, excessive
Hypertrophy (overgrowth)
hypopressure)
Under, below, deficient
Hypotension (low blood
hysteruterus)
Uterus
Hysterectomy (removal of
-ia
Expressing condition
Neuralgia (pain in nerve)
-iatr-
Treat, cure
Pediatrics (treatment of children)
-id
Expressing condition
Flaccid (state of being weak)
idiounknown cause)
Self-produced
Idiopathic (self-originated, of
5
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
forms)
Condition, state of
Dimorphism (condition of two
iso-
Equal
Isotonic (same tension)
-itis
stomach)
Inflammation
Gastritis (inflammation of the
-ity
Expressing condition
Acidity (condition of acid)
juxtacolumn)
Near or adjoining
Juxtaspinal (close to spinal
keratohard tissue)
Cornea or horny tissue
Keratinization (formation of a
-kinmovement)
Move
Kinesiology (study of
lact-
Milk
Lactation (secretion of milk)
leuko-
White
Leukocyte (white blood cell)
-ligabone to bone)
Bind
Ligament (structure that binds
lipo-
Fat
Lipolysis (breakdown of fats)
lithoof calculi)
Stone, calculus
Lithogenic (promoting formation
-logy
Study
Histology (study of tissue)
-lysis
Breaking up, dissolving
Glycolysis (breakdown of sugar)
macrocell)
Large
Macrophage (large phagocytic
mal-
Bad
Malnutrition (bad nutrition)
-mania
to dead bodies)
Madness
Necromania (morbid attraction
6
malaco-
Soft
Osteomalacia (soft bone)
mammobreasts)
Breast
Mammogram (X-ray film of
mastbreast)
Breast
Mastectomy (excision of the
mega-
Great
Megacolon (large colon)
melanoBlack
producing skin cell)
Melanocyte (black pigment
meso-
Middle, mid
Mesoderm (middle skin)
metaposition)
Beyond, after, change
Metastasis (beyond original
micro-
Small
Microorganism (small organism)
mitoThread, filament
chromosomes/cell division)
Mitosis (threadlike
mono-
One, single
Monosaccharide (one sugar)
-morph-
Form
Morphology (study of form)
multinuclei)
Many, much
Multinucleated (two or more
myelomarrow)
Marrow, spinal cord
Myeloid (derived from bone
myo-
Muscle
Myocardium (heart muscle)
narcoor weakness)
Numbness
Narcotic (drug producing stupor
necrobody)
Death
Necropsy (examination of dead
neo-
New
Neonatal (first four weeks of life)
nephrokidney)
Kidney
Nephrectomy (removal of a
neuronerve)
Nerve
Neuritis (inflammation of a
oculoeye)
Eye
Oculomotor (movement of the
odonto-
Tooth or teeth
Odontomy (cutting a tooth)
-oid
epidermis)
Expressing resemblance
Epidermoid (resembling
7
oligo-
Few, scanty, little
Oliguria (little urine)
-oma
Tumor
Carcinoma (cancerous tumor)
omnidirections)
All
Omnidirectional (involving all
-op-
See
Myopia (nearsighted)
ophthalmeye)
Eye
Ophthalmology (study of the
orthoteeth)
Straight, normal
Orthodontics (straightening of
-ory
of smell)
Referring to
Olfactory (relating to the sense
-ose
Full of
Adipose (full of fat)
-osis
of bone)
A condition of
Osteoporosis (porous condition
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
heart)
Disease
Cardiopathy (disease of the
pedo-
Child
Pedophilic (fond of children)
-penia
of thrombocytes)
Deficiency
Thrombocytopenia (deficiency
pentamonomers)
Five
Pentamer (contains five
per-
Through, excessive
Permeate (pass through)
peri-
Around
Periosteum (around bone)
-phagswallowing)
Eat
Dysphagia (difficult eating or
-phas-
Speak, utter
Aphasia (unable to speak)
-phil-
Like, love
Hydrophilic (water-loving)
8
phleb-
Vein
Phlebotomy (incision into a vein)
phlogoinflammation)
Inflammation
Phlogogenic (causing
-phobia
Fear
Hydrophobia (fear of water)
phytoplant sources)
Plant
Phytoestrogens (estrogens from
-plas-
Form, grow
Neoplasm (new growth)
-plegia
limbs)
Paralyze
Paraplegia (paralysis of lower
pleothan one form)
More than one
Pleomorphism (having more
-pne-
Breathe
Apnea (lack of breathing)
pneumo-
Air, gas, or lungs
Pneumothorax (air in the thorax)
poddisorders)
Foot
Podiatry (treatment of foot
-poiecells)
Make
Hematopoiesis (make blood
polycells)
Many, much
Polycythemia (excess red blood
post-
After, behind
Postpartum (after childbirth)
pre-
Before, in front of
Prenatal (before birth)
prodemonstration)
Before, in front of
Prosect (to cut before-for
proctoAnus, rectum
examining the rectum)
Proctoscope (instrument for
pseudo-
False
Pseudostratified (falsely layered)
psychomind on the body)
Mind, soul
Psychosomatic (effect of the
pyo-
Pus
Pyoderma (pus in the skin)
quasiAlmost, resembling
dominant inheritance)
Quasidominance (mimicking
re-
Back, again, contrary
Reflect (bend back)
reno-
Kidney
Renocortical (cortex of kidney)
retro-
Backward, located behind
Retroperitoneal (behind the
9
peritoneum)
rhino-
Nose
Rhinodynia (pain in nose)
-rrhagia
Burst forth, pour
Hemorrhage (bleed)
-rrhea
Flow, discharge
Rhinorrhea (nasal discharge)
sarcotumor)
Flesh or fleshy
Sarcoma (connective tissue
sclerothe arteries)
Hard
Arteriosclerosis (hardening of
-scope
Examine
Endoscope (instrument)
semimoon)
Half
Semilunar (shaped like half a
somatobody growth)
Body
Somatotropin (hormone causing
-stasis
Stop, stand still
Hemostasis (stop bleeding)
-stat
of bacteria)
Inhibit
Bacteriostat (inhibiting growth
steno-
Narrow
Stenosis (narrow canal)
-stomy
into the trachea)
Make artificial opening
Tracheostomy (make an opening
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)
tetramolecules)
Four
Tetracetate (four acetic acid
thermmeasuring heat)
Heat
Thermometer (device for
toco-
Labor
Tocophobia (dread of childbirth)
-tomy
Cut, incise
Phlebotomy (incision of a vein)
toxagainst poison)
Poison
Antitoxin (substance effective
10
trans-
Across, through, beyond
Transection (cut across)
tri-
Three
Triceps (three-headed muscle)
-trophovernourishment)
Nourish
Hypertrophy (enlargement or
-tropic
gonads)
Changing, influencing
Gonadotropic (influencing the
ultraspectrum)
Excess, beyond
Ultraviolet (beyond violet end of
uni-
One
Unilateral (one side)
-uria
Urine
Polyuria (excess urine)
vasoblood vessels)
Vessel
Vasoactive (affecting caliber of
vene-
Vein
Venesection (phlebotomy)
viscerinternal organs)
Internal organ
Visceromotor (movement of
vivianimals)
Alive
Vivisection (surgery on living
xenoanother species)
Foreign
Xenograft (graft of tissue to
zooanimals)
Animal
Zoogenous (acquired from
11