A. Latin and Greek Origin

PREFIXES

A. Latin and Greek origin

B. Anatomy of a Medical Term

1. Dissect the word and it is less threatening.

a. Prefix…..at the beginning

b. Root……gives the essential meaning of the word

c. Combining vowel…..single vowel, usually an “0” at the end of the root, which makes the word easier to pronounce.

d. Combining form…..root + combining vowel

e. Suffix…..at the end of a word

C. Prefixes…..added to the beginning to modify the meaning.

1. Contrasting Prefixes

a. A….without or no……..ex: atraumatic

b. An...without or no……..ex: anuria

c. Ab…away from……….ex: abduction

Ad…toward…………...ex: adduction

d. Dys…difficult or bad…ex: dysphagia

Eu….good or normal… ex: euthyroid

e. Endo..within or inside…ex: endocrine

Exo…without, outside of…ex: exocrine

Ecto…outside of………ex: ectoparasite

f. Hyper….higher, increased…ex: hyperthyroid

Hypo…..lower, decreased….ex: hypothyroid

g. Inter….between….ex: interdigital

Intra….within……ex: intradigital

h. Poly….many, excessive….ex: polyuria

Oligo…little or scant……. ex: oliguria

i. Pre…before…….ex: preanesthetic

Post..after………ex: postanesthetic

j. Sub…below, under….ex: sublingual

Super or supra…above…ex: suprascapular

D. Directional Prefixes

1. epi…..upper………ex: epidermis

2. extra,,,outside…….ex: extracurricular

3. infra…below, beneath….ex: infraorbital

4. meta…beyond……ex: metaphysical

5. per….throughout…ex: percutaneous

6. trans…across……..ex: transabdominal

7. ultra…increase more than normal….ultraviolet

E. Other Prefixes or word roots

1. arthro…….joint

2. gastro…….stomach

3. pan……….without

4. osteo……..bone

5. hema……..blood

6. hepa……...liver

7. nephro……kidney

8. cardio…….heart

9. neuro…….nerve

10. oto……….ear

11. optho…….eye

12. myo……...muscle

13. thoraco…..ribs

14. entero……intestine

15. myelo……nerve, spinal cord

16. derm……..skin

17. pneumo….lungs or air

18. cephalo…..brain

19. cysto……..bladder

20. podo……..foot

21. pyo………pus

22. rhino…….nose