A&P TERMINOLOGY
PREFIXES
| a- or an- | without or lacking (ex: anorexia) |
| ab- | away from (ex: abduct) |
| ad- | toward or adjacent to (ex: adduct) |
| anti- | against, opposed, or inhibitive (ex: antihistamine) |
| arthr- | joint (ex: arthroscopy) |
| auto- | self (ex: autoimmune disease) |
| bi- | two (ex: biceps) |
| bio- | life (ex: biology) |
| carcin- | cancer or tumor (ex: carcinogen) |
| cardio- | heart (ex: cardiology) |
| cephal- | head (ex: encephalitis) |
| cerebro- | brain (ex: CVA or cerebrovascular accident) |
| chondr- | cartilage (ex: chondrogenesis) |
| circum- | around or round about (ex: circumcision) |
| co- | with or together (ex: cofactor) |
| contra- | against or in opposition to (ex: contraindication) |
| derm- | skin (ex: dermatologist) |
| di- | two (ex: disaccharide) |
| dys- | difficult or abnormal (ex: dyslexia) |
| ecto- | outside or external (ex: ectopic) |
| endo- | inside or within (ex: endocardium) |
| epi- | upon or above (ex: epidermis) |
| erythro- | red (ex: erythrocyte) |
| eu- | well, good, or true (ex: eukaryote) |
| ex- | out of or outside (ex: excretion) |
| glyco- | sweet or sugar (ex: glycogenolysis) |
| hemi- | half (ex: hemipalegia) |
| hepat- | liver (ex: hepatocyte) |
| hist- | tissue (ex: histology) |
| hydro- | water or liquid (ex: hydrocele) |
| hyper- | in excess (ex: hyperglycemia) |
| hypo- | below normal or under (ex: hypoglycemia) |
| infra- | beneath or underneath (ex: infrapatellar) |
| inter- | between (ex: interosseous) |
| intra- | within or inside of (ex: intramuscular) |
| iso- | equal (ex: isotope) |
| leuko- | white (ex: leukocytosis) |
| macro- | large (ex: macrophage) |
| melano- | black (ex: melanoma) |
| micro- | small (ex: microscope) |
| mono- | one (ex: monosaccharide) |
| multi- | many or multiple (ex: multicellular) |
| myo- | muscle (ex: myocardial infarction) |
| neo- | new (ex: neovascularization) |
| nephro- | kidney (ex: cystic nephron) |
| neuro- | nerve (ex: neuroglia) |
| oculo- | eye (ex: ocular) |
| odonto- | tooth (ex: orthodontist) |
| oligo- | deficient or few (ex: oligochromemia) |
| opthalm- | eye (ex: ophthalmology) |
| osteo- | bone (ex: osteoporosis) |
| oto- | ear (ex: otology) |
| para- | alongside or beyond (ex: parathyroid glands) |
| peri- | around (ex: pericardium) |
| pneumo- | air or gas; pertaining to the lungs (ex: pneumonia) |
| pod- | foot (ex: podiatrist) |
| poly- | many or much (ex: polysaccharide) |
| post- | behind or after (ex: post-traumatic) |
| pre- or pro- | prior to or in front of (ex: prehypertension) |
| pseudo- | false (ex: pseudostratified epithelium) |
| sarco | flesh (ex: sarcomere) |
| semi- | half or partially (ex: semipermeable) |
| sclero- | Hard (ex: scleroderma) |
| somato- | body (ex: somatic) |
| steno- | narrow or close (ex: aortic stenosis) |
| sub- | below or under (ex: subclavian) |
| sym- or syn- | with or together (ex: symphysis pubis and synchondrosis) |
| tachy- | fast or rapid (ex: tachycardia) |
| trans- | across or through (ex: transcutaneous) |
| viscer- | pertaining to internal organs (ex: visceral fat) |
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