If you are just getting started learning medical terminology, prefixes and suffixes are a good launching point. Yes, there are lots more prefixes for medical terminology than you see listed here. But, to get you started, here is a quick look at some of the most common prefixes that play a huge role in both common, everyday English and medical terminology.
| Prefix | What It Means |
|---|---|
| A-, an- | Lack of, without, not |
| Ante- | Before, in front of, or forward |
| Anti- | Opposing or against |
| Bi- | Double, two, twice, both |
| Co-, con-, com- | Together or with |
| De- | Down, or from |
| Di- | Twice or two |
| Extra-, extro- | Beyond, outside of, or outward |
| Hemi-, semi- | Half, half of |
| Hyper- | Above, excessive, beyond |
| Hyp-, hypo- | Below, beneath, deficient |
| Infra- | Below or beneath |
| Inter- | Between |
| Intra- | Within, inside |
| Intro- | Into, or within |
| Macro- | Large |
| Micro-, micr- | Tiny, small |
| Post- | After, or following, behind |
| Pre-, pro- | In front of, before, preceding |
| Retro- | Behind, backward |
| Semi- | Half |
| Trans- | Through or across |
| Tri- | Three |
| Ultra- | Excessive, beyond |
The suffix, always at the end of a word, usually indicates a procedure, a condition, or a disease. Whereas the prefix gives you a clue into what to expect in a word’s meaning, the suffix pulls no punches and tells you what is happening with a specific body part or system. And, usually, it either entails what is wrong medically or indicates the procedure used to diagnose or fix it.
The scope of suffix meanings is extremely wide. Like prefixes, many of these have similar meanings in plain old, everyday English that you hear on the street. For example, the suffix -meter simply indicates an instrument used to measure something, just as it does in other fields of study. Geography, a term feared by many fifth graders the world over, ends with -graphy and means the process of recording.
| Suffix | What It Means |
|---|---|
| -ac, -ic, -al, -ous, -tic | Related to, or pertaining to |
| -ate, -ize | Subject to, use |
| -ent, -er, -ist | Person, agent |
| -genic | Produced by |
| -gram | A written record |
| -graph | Instrument used to record |
| -graphy | Process of recording |
| -ism | Condition or theory |
| -itis | Inflammation |
| -ologist | One who studies, specialist |
| -ology | Study of, process of study |
| -oma | Tumor |
| -pathy | Disease, disease process |
| -phobia | Morbid fear of or intolerance |
| -scope | Instrument used to visually examine |
| -scopy | Process of visual examination |