Basic Medical Terminology abbriviations and prefixes & suffixes

a-, an-, in-

without, not, absence of

ambi-

both, both sides, around, about

bi-

two

di-

twice, two, double

hemi-, semi-

half

iso-

same, equal

macro-

large

micro-

small

mono-, uni-

one, single

multi-

many

poly-

much

oligo-

deficiency

pan-

all

quadri-, tetra-

four

tri-

three

ab-

away from

ad-

toward

anti-

against

brady-

slow

con-

together, with

contra-

against, opposite

circum-

around

dia-, trans-

through, across

ec-, ecto-

out, outside

en-, end-, endo-, in-, intra-

in, within, inner

epi-

above, upon

eso-

inward

ex-, exo-, extra-

away from, outside, external

hyper-, super-, supra-

excessive, above

hypo-, infra-, sub-

below, beneath

inter-

between

para-, peri-

beside, near

post-

after, following

pre-

before

pro-

before, forward

re-, retro-

behind, back

tachy-

rapid

ultra-

beyond

auto-

self

dys-

bad, painful, difficult

eu-

good, normal

mal-

bad, inadequate

neo-

new

tox-

poison, toxin

-centesis

surgical puncture

-cidal, -cide

destroying, killing

-desis

surgical fixation of bone or joint, binding, tying together

-dilation

widening, stretching, expanding

-ectomy

excision, surgical removal

-pexy

surgical fixation

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhaphy

suture, suturing

-scopy

visual examination

-therapy

treatment

-tomy

cutting into, incision

-tripsy

crushing

-acusia, -acusis, -cusis

hearing

-algesia, -algesic, -algia, -dynia

pain

-dipsia

thirst

-esthesia

sensation

-opia, -opsia, -opsis, -opsy

vision, view of

-osmia

smell, odor

-phoria

feeling

-clasis, -clast

to break

-ectasis

dilation, expansion

-emesis

vomiting

-gen, -genesis, -genic, -genous

creating, producing

-kinesia, -kinesis

movement

-lysis

destruction

-pause, -stasis

cessation, stopping

-phage, -phagia

eating, swallowing

-phasia

speech

-rrhage, rrhagia

bursting forth

-rrhea

flow, discharge

-rrhexis

rupture

-spasm

sudden involuntary conraction

-uresis

urination

-cele

hernia

-constriction

narrowing

-cytosis

a condition of cells

-derma

skin

-edema

swelling

-emia

a condition of the blood

-gravida

pregnant woman

-ia, -ism

condition

-iasis

pathological condition or state

-itis

inflammation

-lepsy, -leptic

seizure

-lith

stone

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement

-necrosis

tissue death

-oid

resembling

-oma

tumor

-osis

abnormal condition

-oxia

oxygen

-paresis

slight or partial paralysis

-partum, -tocia

childbirth, labor

-pathy

disease

-penia

deficiency

-pepsia

digestion

-phonia

voice

-plasia, -plasm

formation or growth

-plastic

pertaining to formation or growth

-plegia

paralysis

-plegic

pertaining to paralysis

-pnea

breathing

-pneic

pertaining to breathing

-ptosis

dropping, prolapse

-salpinx

uterine (fallopian) tube

-sclerosis

hardening

-static

not in motion, at rest

-stenosis

narrowing, stricture

-thorax

chest

-trophy

nourishment, growth

-uria

urine

-graph

recording measurement

-meter

measuring instrument

-scope

viewing instrument

-tome

cutting instrument

-cyte, -cytic

cell

-gram

record

-ole, -ule

small

-prandial

meal

abduction

movement away from the body

adduction

movement toward the body

anterior

toward or near the front; ventral

posterior

toward or near the back; dorsal

base

the lower or supporting part of any structure

apex

the pointed tip of the conical structure

deep

further into the body