Medicină I – Seminarul 14

Medical terminology. Suffixes and prefixes

SUFFIXES
A suffix is a word ending that modifies a root which may indicate that the word is a noun or an
adjective.

Suffixes that mean "condition of”

Suffix Example Meaning
-ia insomnia inability to sleep
anesthesia loss of sensation
phobia abnormal fear
-ism alcoholism chronic dependence on or addiction to alcohol
egotism exaggerated self-importance
embolism blockage of a vessel
-sis neurosis psychological disorder
(-osis, -esis, - psychosis mental disorder
asis, -iasis) cirrhosis liver degeneration
-y atony lack of muscle tone
tetany sustained muscle contraction
dysentery intestinal disorder

Suffixes that mean "pertaining to", "characterized by", "resembling" - adjective endings
Suffix Example Definition
-ac cardiac pertaining to the heart
-al skeletal pertaining to the skeleton
-ar muscular pertaining to muscle
-ary urinary pertaining to urine
-eal esophageal pertaining to the esophagus
-ic pelvic pertaining to the pelvis
-ical surgical pertaining to surgery
-ile febrile pertaining to fever
-dus venous pertaining to a vein
-form epileptiform like or resembling epilepsy
-oid mucoid like or resembling mucus
-ous subcutaneous pertaining to under the skin
(noun) -sis changes into -tic (to form the adjective): neurosis - neurotic, diuresis - diuretic

Suffixes pertaining to specialties and specialists

Suffix Meaning Example Definition
-logy study of physiology study of function in a living organism
-ist specialist in a field of dentist specialist in the study and treatment of the teeth and
study mouth
-ian,-ician specialist in a field of physician practitioner of medicine
study
-iatrics,- field of medicine psychiatry study and treatment of mental illness
iatry
-iatrist specialist in a field of podiatrist specialist in the study and treatment of the foot
study

Pathology suffixes
Suffix Meaning Example Definition
-algia pain cephalalgia pain in the head
-cele herniation cystocele herniation of the bladder
-dynia pain cardiodynia pain in the heart
-emia blood condition hyperlipidemia excessive fats in the blood
-itis inflammation gastroenteritis inflammtion of the stomach and small intestine
-malacia softening chondromalacia softening of the cartilage
-megaly enlargement splenomegaly enlargement of the spleen
-oma tumor, mass osteoma tumor of a bone
-pathy disease process gastropathy disease process of the stomach
-ptosis prolapse, drooping hysteroptosis prolapse of the uterus
-rrhage, - bursting forth hemorrhage bursting forth of blood
rrhagia
-rrhea discharge, flow otorrhea discharge from the ear
-rrhexis rupture cystorrhexis rupture of the bladder
-sclerosis abnormal condition of arteriosclerosis abnormal condition of hardening of an artery
hardening
-stenosis abnormal condition of tracheostenosis abnormal condition of narrowing of the trachea or
narrowing windpipe

Procedure suffixes
Suffix Meaning Example Definition
-centesis surgical puncture amniocentesis surgical puncture of the inner fetal sac
-desis binding arthrodesis binding of a joint
-ectomy cutting out tonsillectomy cutting out the tonsils
-graphy recording mammography recording the breast
-metry measuring spirometry measuring breathing
-opsy viewing biopsy viewing living tissue
-pexy suspension, fixation patellapexy suspension of the kneecap
-plasty surgically forming rhinoplasty surgically forming the nose
-rrhaphy suturing splenorrhaphy suturing the spleen
-scopy viewing esophagogastro- viewing the esophagus, stomach and duodenum
duodenoscopy
-stomy making a new colostomy making a new opening in the colon or the large
opening intestine
-tomy cutting osteotomy incision into the bone
-tripsy crushing lithotripsy crushing of stones

Instrument suffixes
Suffix Meaning Example Definition
-graph instrument to record electrocardiograph instrument to record the electricity of the heart
-meter instrument to thermometer instrument to measure temperature
measure
-scope instrument to view ophthalmoscope instrument to view the eye
-tome instrument to cut osteotome instrument to cut bone
-tripter machine to crush lithotripter machine to crush stone
-trite instrument to crush lithotrite instrument to crush stone

Miscellaneous suffixes
Suffix Meaning Example Definition
-asthenia weakness neurasthenia condition with vague symptoms, such as weakness
-blast immature, forming astroblast immature cell
-cidal destroying, killing suicidal likely to kill oneself
-cide destroying, killing bacteriocide agent that destroys bacteria
-crine secreting endocrine gland that secretes hormones into the bloodstream
-crit separate hematocrit percentage of volume of a blood sample that is
composed of cells
-cyte cell thrombocyte blood platelet
-cytosis condition of cells erythrocytosis condition with an abnormal number of red blood cells
in the blood
-derma skin scleroderma hardening of the skin
-ectasia expansion, dilation neurectasia operatyion with dilation of a nerve
-edema swelling lymphedema swelling as a result of obstructed lymph node
-form in the shape of uniform having the same shape throughout
-gen producing, coming to carcinogen cancer-causing agent
be
-genesis production of pathogenesis production of disease
-icle small, tiny cuticle small skin surrounding the nail
-ics treatment, practice, orthopedics medical practice concerned with treatment of skeletal
body of knowledge disorders
-kinesia movement bradykinesia decrease in movement
-lytic destroying thrombolytic dissolving a thrombus
-oid like, resembling cardioid resembling a heart
-ole small, tiny arteriole small artery
-opia vision diplopia double vision
-para bearing primipara woman who has given birth once
-paresis slight paralysis monoparesis paralysis of only one extremity
-penia deficiency leukopenia condition with fewer than normnal white blood cells
-phage, - eating, devouring polyphagia excessive eating
phagia, -
phagy
-phasia speaking aphasia loss of or reduction in speaking ability
-philia attraction, affinity hemophilia blood disorder with tendency to hemorrhage
for
-phobia fear acrophobia fear of heights
-phonia sound neuraphonia loss of sounds
-physis growing epiphysis part of a long bone distinct from and growing out of a
shaft
-plegia paralysis quadriplegia paralysis of all four limbs
-pnea breath eupnea easy, normal respiration
-poiesis formation erythropoiesis formation of red blood cells
-porosis lessening in density osteoporosis lessening of bone density
-rrhaphy surgical suturing herniorrhaphy surgical repair of a hernia
-schisis splitting spondyloschisis failure of fusion of the vertebral arch in an embryo
-stalsis contraction peristalsis movement of the intestines by contraction and
relaxation of its tube
-stasis stopping, constant homeostasis state of equilibrium in the body
-trophy nutrition dystrophy changes that result from inadequate nutrition
-ule small, tiny venule small vein
-um structure, thing, endocardium structure within the heart
membrane
-uria urine pyuria pus in the urine
-version turning retroversion a turning backward (said of the uterus)

PREFIXES
Prefixes pertaining to numbers
Prefix Meaning Example Definition
prim/i- first primigravida woman pregnant for the first time
mon/o- one monoclonal pertaining to a cell colony arising from a single cell
uni- one unicellular pertaining to an organism composed of a single cell
bi- two, twice bicuspid having two points
di- two, twice diplegia paralysis (-plegia) affecting both sides of the body
diplo- double diplopia double vision (-opia)
hemi- half, one side hemithorax one side of the chest (thorax)
semi- half, partial semilunar resembling a half-moon
tri- three triad group of three
quadr/i- four quadrant one fourth of an area
multi- many multiple consisting of many parts
poly- many, much polymorphic having many shapes (morph/o)

Prefixes pertaining to color

Prefix Meaning Example Definition
cyan/o- blue cyanosis bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen
erythr/o- red erythrocyte red blood cell
leuk/o- white, colorless leukoplakia white patches in the mouth
melano/o- black, dark melanin the dark pigment that colors the hair and skin
xanth/o- yellow xanthoma yellow raised area of the skin

Negative prefixes
Prefix Meaning Example Definition
a-, an- not, without, lack of, absence amorphous without form
anti- against antidote means for counteracting a poison
contra against contralateral pertaining to the opposite side
-
de- down, without, removal, loss detoxify to remove a poison
dis- absence, removal, separation disinfect to remove infectious organisms from
dys- abnormal, difficult, bad, dystrophy process of abnormal nourishment
painful
in-, not (im- before b,m, p) incontinence lack of control over excretion
im-
un- not unconscious not responsive

Prefixes pertaining to direction

Prefix Meaning Example Definition
ab- away from abduct to move away from the midline
ad- toward, near adhesion an attachment of parts
dia- through dialysis separation by passage through a membrane
inter- between intervertebral pertaining to between the backbones
intra- within intramuscular pertaining to within the muscle
par- near, beside parotid pertaining to near the ear
para- near, beside, paraphilia condition of abnormal attraction
abnormal
per- through percutaneous through the skin
trans- through, across, transfusion introduction of blood or blood components into the
beyond bloodstream

Prefixes pertaining to degree

Prefix Meaning Example Definition
hyper- over, excess, abnormally high, increased hypertension high blood pressure
hypo- under, below, abnormally low, hypoventilation low amount of air entering the lungs
decreased
olig/o- few, scanty, deficiency of oligospermia low number of sperm in the semen
pan- all panplegia total paralysis (-plegia)
super- above, excess superinfection second infection

Prefixes pertaining to size and comparison

Prefix Meaning Example Definition
eu- true, good, easy, euthanasia easy or painless death
 normal
hetero- other, different, heterosexual pertaining to the opposite sex
unequal
homo- same, unchanging homothermic maintaining a constant body temperature, warm
/homeo blooded
iso- equal, same isograft graft between two genetically identical
individuals
macro- large, abnormally macroscopic visible with the naked eye
large
mega/megalo large, abnormally megabladder permanent enlargement of the bladder
- large
micro- small microsurgery surgery of extremely small structures under the
microscope
neo- new neonate newborn infant
normo normal normovolemia normal blood volume
ortho- straight, correct, orthosis appliance used to correct or prevent deformities
upright
pseudo- false pseudoparalysis false paralysis
re- again, back reflux backward or return flow

Prefixes pertaining to time and/or position

Prefix Meaning Example Definition
ante- before antenatal before birth
per- before, in front of predisposing leading toward a condition such as a disease
peri- surrounding, around pericardium structure surrounding the heart
pre- before, in front of prenatal pertaining to before birth
pro- before, in front of prophylaxis prevention of disease
post- after, behind postnatal pertaining to after birth
sub- under, below subhepatic pertaining to under the liver

Miscellaneous prefixes
Prefix Meaning Example Definition
ambi- both ambidextrous having ability on both the right and left sides (said of
the hands)
auto- self autoimmune against and individual's own tissue
brachy- short brachyesophag abnormally short esophagus
us
brady- slow bradycardia abnormally slow heartbeat
cata- down cataplexy sudden extreme muscle weakness
co-,col-,com-, together codominant having an equal degree of dominance (said of two
con-, cor- genes)
ecto- outside ectopic occurring outside the normal place, as a pregnancy
occurring outside of the uterus
endo- within endoabdominal within the abdomen
epi- over epicondyle projection over or near the condyle
infra- positioned beneath infrasternal below the sternum
iso- equal, same isometric of the same dimensions
mal- bad, inadequate malabsorption inadequate absorption
meta- after metacarpus bone attached to the carpus
tachy- fast tachycardia rapid heartbeat