COMMONLY USED PREFIXES

PREFIX MEANING
a- not, without
ad- to, toward
adeno- glandular
ambi- on both sides
an- not, without
arthro- joint
auto- self
bi- double, two, twice
brachio- arm
brady- slow
Broncho bronchi
cardio- heart
chole- gall or bile
cholecysto- gallbladder
costo- rib
cysto- bladder
derma- skin
dorso- back
dys- difficult, abnormal
entero- pertaining to intestines
eryth- red
extra- outside of, in addition to
gastro- stomach
glosso- tongue
gyneco- female
hemato- blood
hemi- half
hemo- blood
hepato- liver
histo- tissue
hyper- above, beyond, increased
ileo- intenstine
leuko- white
mal- bad, poor
neo- new
nephro- kidney
neuro- nerve
osteo- bone
oto- ear
pan- all
pneumo- air
pre- before
post- after
tachy- fast
vaso- a vessel
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COMMONLY USED SUFFIXES
SUFFIX MEANING
-algia pain
-cele tumor, swelling
-cide kill, destroy
-ectomy surgical removal of
-emia blood
-genesis origin, beginning
-it is inflammation of
-lith stone, calculus
-lithiasis presence of stones
-lysis disintegration
-megaly enlargement
-ology science of, study of
-osis disease, condition
-ostomy to form an opening
-plasty repair, reconstruction
-rhage hemorrhage
-rhea excessive discharge
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