Medical Prefixes 1
hyper-
"too much" / "too high" / excessive
hypo-
"too few" / "too low" / excessively low
naso-
having to do with the nose
micro-
something that is small or little
(microscopic = something that is too small to be seen with the naked eye;
microsurgery = a surgical procedure involving a very small portion of the body;
microbe = an organism too small to be seen with the naked eye;
tri-
related to the number "3"
(trigeminal nerve = a nerve in the head that splits into 3;
tri-lobal = having three main lobes (like one of the lungs);
bi-
related to the number "2"
(bi-valved = an organism with only 2 heart valves;
bi-lobal = having two main lobes (like one of the lungs);
biceps = a muscle of the arm with two "heads";
bicuspid = a type of tooth with two "cusps")
macro-
something that is large or big
(macroscopic = parts of the body that are able to be seen easily with the naked eye;
post-
after (in time) / behind or at the end of something
(post-surgical care = care received after surgery;
post-nasal drip = sinus drainage that reaches the back of the oral cavity)
anti-
related to something being 'against' something else
(antibacterial = something that destroys or limits bacterial growth;
antibody = a substance produced by the body to counter a chemical known to be a foreign threat to the body [based on immune response];
anti-coagulant = something given to a person to prevent the blood from clotting
- or -
something that is the opposite of something else
a-
"not" / "lack of"
cardio-
having to do with the heart
neuro-
having to do with either neurons/nerves or the nervous system in general
ped- / pedi-
having to do with the feet
oro- / oral
having to do with the mouth
ab-
"away from" / moving out from
oste- / osteo-
having to do with a bone or bone tissue
per- / dia-
"through"
(perfusion = the passing of a fluid [such as blood] through a vessel or channel);
dialysis = the breaking down of a fluid and its solid parts by passing it through a sieve / membrane, as in kidney dialysis)
ante-
before (in time)
(antenatal = before being born;)
cranio-
having to do with the cranium or skull
cyto-
having to do with a cell
oculo- / ophthalmo-
having to do with the eye(s)
(oculomotor = muscle that allows eye movement;
ophthamologist = a specialist doctor that treats conditions of the eyes)
oto-
having to do with the ear(s)
pulmo- / pneumo-
having to do with the lung(s)
patho-
having to do with a disease or illness
glosso-
having to do with the tongue
tracheo-
having to do with the neck
pharmaco-
having to do with a drug or healing substance
gastro-
having to do with the stomach
carcino-
having to do with the disease of cancer / something cancerous
myo-
having to do with muscle tissue
adipo-
related to fat cells or fat tissue (a type of connective tissue of the body)
angio- / vascul-
related to a blood vessel (or sometimes even lymph vessels)
histo-
related to study of microscopic structures of the body's tissues
cephalo-
related to the head of the human body
hemato- / hemo- / sangui-
related to the blood
dorso- / dorsi-
the back or posterior of a person
dermo- / dermato-
having to do with the skin
encephalo-
having to do with the brain
viscero-
having to do with the internal organs in general (those in the torso region)
hepato-
having to do with the liver
nephro-
having to do with the kidney(s)
onco-
related to a tumor or mass/growth (especially one from cancer)
(Oncology = the branch of medicine that studies and treats tumors etc)
adeno-
having to do with a gland
septo- / sepsis
having to do with an infection
ventri- / ventro-
having to do with the front side of the body