PREFIXES &SUFFIXES

Attaches directly to the beginning of a word

Meaning of prefix always remains the same
◦ Prefix changes meaning of root to which it is
attached
◦ Not all words have prefixes
2

Remember
◦ Meaning of prefix does not change
◦ Prefix does change meaning of the word
◦ Not all medical words have a prefix

Prefixes express numbers, measurements,
position, direction, negatives, and color
Prefixes are the head of words ,
derived from pre- meaning before.
 They are found at the beginning of
words and modify their meanings.
 Examples anti / biotic

anti / septic
1. Prefixes are word components
Ex: ant (i) –
notice the hyphen end of the prefix. This
denotes
that a prefix is not a complete word and
another word component must be attached.
antiseptic
antibody
2. Prefixes determine the meaning
Consider the following word;
Ex: If the prefix Hyper – means excessive:
hyper / glycemia means ............................

Prefixes express numbers
◦ None, one, two, three, four
◦ Single, double, half

Prefixes express measurement
◦ Quantities such as much, many, excessive
◦ Multiples without specific numbers


Prefixes express position and/or direction
Used to describe a location
◦ May be between, under, around, away from
◦ May be upon, over, within, near, middle
◦ May be below, behind, above, across

Prefixes express color
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Color in reactions
Color of growths or rashes
Color of body fluids
Red, blue, green, yellow
White, black, gray, purple
Prefixes express negatives
◦ May indicate not, without, lack of, against
prefix
meaning
example
Anti-
against
antibacterial
Ab-
from, away from
Abduction
Ad-
to, towards, near
adduction
Peri-
around, surrounding
pericardium
Hyper-
over, above, excessive
beyond
hypertension
Mal-
ill, bad, poor
malnutrition
Hypo-
deficient
hypoglycemia
Bi-
two
bilateral
Tri-
three
tricyclic
Poly-
many, much
polyuria
Post-
after, behind
postpartum
Pro-
before, in front of
prothrombin
Sub-
under, below
subcutaneous
Retro-
behind, backward, back retroperitoneal
Inter-
Between, among
interscapular
Ex-
Out, out of, away from
excision
Intra-
In, within
intraoperative
Bio-
life
Biology
Phono-
Sound, voice
phonograph
Quadri-
four
quadriplegia
Ante-
against
antecubital
Dys-
bad, difficult
Dyspnea
Meta-
beyond
metastasis
Re-
back
regurgitation





Greek
hemi
hexa
hepta
hyper
hypo
Latin
Meaning
semi
half,partial
sexi
six
septem
seven
super, supra
over
sub
under
Prefixes can change the meaning of
a word to a negative form
Ex: Normal
Normal
ab /normal
away from
Word
Prefix
Negative word
hydrate
de
balanced
un
indication
contra
infect
dis
toxin
anti

Remember
◦ Meaning of suffix does not change
◦ Suffix does change meaning of the word

Every medical word has an ending
◦ Either a suffix or a complete word

Suffixes make a word a noun or an adjective

If suffix begins with a vowel (a,e,i,o,u,y)
◦ Root will attach directly to it

If suffix begins with a consonant
◦ Root will need a combining vowel
◦ Before attaching to the suffix
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
Example Word: cardiogram
◦
◦
◦
◦

Breakdown of word: cardi/o/gram
Root = cardi
Combining vowel = o
Suffix = gram
Note: Suffix begins with a consonant
Combining vowel is needed
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
Example Word: cardialgia
◦ Breakdown of word: cardi/algia
◦ Root = cardi
◦ Suffix = algia

Note: Suffix begins with a vowel
◦ Combining vowel is not needed
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
When suffix begins with a consonant
◦ Combining vowel is needed to attach suffix to
word root

Example: cephalodynia
◦
◦
◦
◦
Breakdown of word: cephal / o / dynia
Root = cephal
Combining vowel = o (is needed)
Suffix = dynia (begins with consonant)

When suffix begins with a vowel
◦ Combining vowel is not needed to attach
suffix to word root

Example word: cephalalgia
◦
◦
◦
◦
Breakdown of word: cephal / algia
Root = cephal
Combining form = (not needed)
Suffix = algia (begins with a vowel)

Remember

When defining a medical term
◦ Define suffix first
◦ Define prefix second
◦ Define word root(s) last

Suffixes indicate specialties and/or
specialists
◦ May be specialist in a field of study
◦ May be one who specializes in the study
of
◦ May be one who treats

Suffixes indicate instruments
◦ May be an instrument used to view
◦ May be an instrument used to measure

Suffixes indicate surgical and
diagnostic procedures
◦ May
◦ May
◦ May
◦ May
be
be
be
be
surgical puncture
process of recording
process of viewing with a scope
incision into
Medical Suffixes
Suffix
-ectomy
-megaly
-pexy
Meaning
Surgical excision or
removal of
Enlargement
-plasty
Surgical fixation, put
into place
Surgical repair
-rrhaphy
suture
-pathy
disease
Suffix
-scope
-scopy
-stomy
Meaning
Instrument for
examining
Visual examination
-itis
Forming a new
opening
inflammation
-tomy
Surgical incision into