1.3 Common Prefixes

The prefix appears at the beginning of a medical term and adds meaning to the root word, like adjectives add meaning to nouns in the English language.

Prefixes often indicate:

  • Number, such as bi-, meaning “two”
  • Position, such as sub-, meaning “under”
  • Direction, such as intra-, meaning “within”
  • Time, such as brady-, meaning “slow”
  • Negation, such as a- and an-, meaning “without”

Common Prefixes

Here is a list of commonly used prefixes. It is helpful to memorize these common prefixes as you build your knowledge of medical terminology:

  • a-, an-: Absence of, without, not
  • ab-: Away from, take away
  • ad-: Towards, to, near
  • ambi-, ambo-: Both
  • amphi-: Double, both sides
  • ana-: Up, apart
  • ante-: Before, in front of, forward
  • anti-: Opposing, against
  • ap-, apo-: Separated, derived from
  • aut-, auto-: Self, by yourself
  • bi-: Double, two, twice, both
  • brachy-: Short
  • brady-: Slow
  • cata-: Lower, down, against
  • circum-: Around
  • co-, con-, com-: Together, with
  • contra-: Against, opposed to
  • de-: Down, from
  • di-: Twice, two
  • dia-: Through, apart, across, between
  • dis-: Apart from, free from
  • dys-: Bad, painful, difficult
  • e-, ec-, ex-: From, away from, out of
  • ect-, exo-, ecto-: Outside, outer, on
  • em-, en-: In
  • end-, endo-, ent-, ento-: Within, inner
  • epi-, ep-: Upon, over, on
  • eu-: Normal
  • extra-, extro-: Beyond, outside of, outward
  • hemi-, semi-: Half, half of
  • hyper-: Above, excessive, beyond
  • hyp-, hypo-: Below, beneath, deficient
  • im-, in-: Intro, in, within
  • infra-: Below, beneath
  • inter-: Between
  • intra-: Within, inside
  • intro-: Into, within
  • iso-: Same, equal
  • macro-: Large
  • mal-: Bad
  • mes-, meso-: Middle
  • meta-: Beyond, changing
  • micro-, micr-: Tiny, small
  • mono-, uni-: One
  • mult-, multi-: Many, multiple
  • neo-: New, recent
  • nulli-: None
  • oligo-: Small amount
  • ortho-: Straight, normal
  • pan-: All
  • para-: Beyond, beside, after
  • per-: Through
  • peri-: Around
  • poly-: Many, excessive
  • post-: After, following, behind
  • pre-, pro-: In front of, before, preceding
  • presby-: Old age
  • pseudo-: False
  • quadri-: Four
  • re-: Backward, again
  • retro-: Behind, backward
  • semi-: Half, partial
  • sub-: Under, beneath
  • super-, supra-: Above, excessive, superior
  • sym-, syn-: With, together
  • tachy-: Rapid, fast
  • trans-: Through, across
  • tri-: Three
  • ultra-: Excessive, beyond
  • uni-: One

See the following box for examples of commonly used prefixes in body-related medical terms. Additional prefixes will be discussed in each chapter related to specific body systems.

Examples of Common Prefixes in Medical Terms

  • Bilateral: Both sides
  • Dysuria: Painful urination
  • Hypertension: Excessive/high blood pressure
  • Oliguria: Small amount of urine production
  • Pericardial: Around the heart
  • Tachycardia: Rapid heart rate

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Medical Terminology - 2e Copyright © 2024 by Ernstmeyer & Christman - Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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