Prefix
What occurs before the word root; describes location and intensity
Suffix
What occurs after word root; Indicate a procedure, condition, diseases or part of speech
Word Root
The foundation of the word
Combining Vowel
A vowel that joins one or more word roots to other components of a term
cardi
heart
hepat
liver
nephr
kidney
neur
nerves
psych
mind
thorac
chest
hyper-
over, excessive, high
hypo-
under, below normal
tachy-
rapid, fast
brady-
slow
pre-
before
post-
after, behind
-al
pertaining to
-algia
pertaining to pain
-ectomy
surgical removal of
-ic
pertaining to
-itis
inflammation
-logy
study of
-logist
specialist
-megaly
enlargement
-meter
measuring instrument
-oma
tumor
-pathy
disease
ab-
away from
ad-
toward
de-
down from, away
circum-
around, about
peri-
around
trans-
across, through, beyond
epi-
above, upon, on
supra-
above, under
retro-
behind
sub-
under
infra-
below, under
para-
near, beside
contra-
against, opposite
ecto-
out, outside
endo-
within
extra-
outside
intra-
inside, within
ipsi-
same
anterior (ventral) and posterior (dorsal)
front and behind, front surface of the body and back surface of the body
Superior and inferior
Top and bottom, closest to the head and closest to the feet
Proximal and distal
closest and farthest, closest to the point of attachments, farthest from the point of attachment
medial and lateral
middle and side, closest to the midline and farthest from the midline