BSC 1.4.

Know common prefixes & suffixes

Common Prefixes; (Prefix Origin); Meaning; Example of use A-, An- (Gk) Absence of or without Anaemia; anaerobe; anencephaly; aniridia Ab- (L) from or To take away Abduction (muscles which take a body part away from the centre of the body are called abductors). Ad- (L) Towards or To Adduction (muscles which take a body part towards the centre of the body are called adductors). Ambi- (L) Both Ambidextrous Amphi- (Gk) On both sides Amphiarthrosis; amphibian Ana- (Gk) Up, Through Anaphylaxis; anatomy (= cutting up ); anabolic Andro- (Gk) Male Androgen; androgenous Aniso- (Gk)Unequal Anisometropia; anisocytosis Ante- (L) Before Antenatal; antebrachium Anti- (Gk) Opposing, opposite Antibody; anticholinergic Apo- (Gk) From Apocrine; aponeurosis; apophysis Arthro- (Gk) Joint Arthrology; arthritis Auto-(Gk) Self Autonomic; autopsy; autosomal; automatic Bi- (L) Twice Biceps; bicornuate; bicuspid Bio- (Gk) Life Biology; biopsy Brachy- (Gk) Short Brachydont; brachycephalic Brachio- (Gk) Pertaining to arm Brachiocephalic Cardi(o)- (Gk) Heart Cardiogram; cardiovascular; cardiac Cata- (Gk) Motion, down from Catabolic; catalyst; catatonia Cephal- (Gk) Pertaining to the head Cephalic Chondro- (Gk) Cartilage Chondrocyte; endochondral Circum-(L) Around Circumcision; circumduction; circumflex Co-, Con- (L) Together, with Coagulate; confluence; congenital Contra-(L) Against Contraception; contraction Crypto- (Gk) Hidden Crypt; Cryptococcus; cryptorchidism Cyst- (Gk) Pertaining to the (gall)-bladder Cystic; cystitis Cyto- (Gk) Cell Cytology; cytoplasm De- (L) Down, away, from Detrusor; detumescent; decidua -6Desmo- (Gk) Membrane; binding Desmosome Di-, Dis- (Gk) Twice, double Dipeptide; diphyodont Di-, Dis- (L) In two, apart Dissect; diverge Dia- (Gk) Through Diabetes; diaphysis; diastema Dolicho- (Gk) Long Dolichocephalic Dorsi- (L) Pertaining to the back Dorsiflex Dys- (Gk) Bad, defective, abnormal, painful Dyspareunia; dyslexia; dystrophy Ecto- (Gk) Outside Ectoderm Endo- (Gk) Within Endosteum; endoderm; endothelium Epi- (Gk) Upon, above Epicardium; epidural; epiphysis, epithelium Eu- (Gk) Well, normal Eukaryote; euphoria; euthanasia Ex- (L) Out Exterior; external Exo- (Gk) Outside Exophthalmos; exostosis; exothermic Extra- (L) Outside Extracellular; extra-embryonic (coelom) Gastr(o)- (Gk) Stomach Gastrosplenic; gastric Gonad(o)- (Gk) Gonads Gonadal; gonadotrophin Gynaeco- (Gk) Female Gynaecolgy; gynaecomastia Haema- (Gk) Blood Haematology Hepato-(Gk) Liver Hepatocyte; hepatic Hemi- (Gk) Half Hemisphere Hetero- (Gk) Different Heterozygous; heterosexual Histo- (Gk) Web, tissue Histochemistry; histology Holo- (Gk) Whole Holistic; holocrine Homo-, Homeo- (Gk) Same, like Homologous; homosexual; homozygous Hyper- (Gk) Above, beyond, over, excessive Hyperglycaemia, hyperplasia Hypo- (Gk) Under, beneath, below, deficient Hypothermia Hystero- (Gk) Uterus Hysterectomy Im-, In- (L) In, not Impotent Infra- (L) Beneath Infraspinatus

Inter- (L) Between Intersex; intercostal; interstitial Intra-(L) Within Intracellular; intrauterine Intro- (L) Inwards Intromission Is-, Iso- (Gk) Equal, the same Isotonic; isotope Juxta- (L) Near to, adjoining Juxtaposition; juxtamedullary Karyo- (Gk) Nut, pertaining to nucleus Karyotype Kerat- (Gk) Horny Keratin Kin- (Gk) Movement Kinaesthesia Leuco- (Gk)White Leucocyte Macro- (Gk) Large Macrophage; macroscopic Mast- (Gk) Breast Mastectomy; mastoid Mega- (Gk) Big Megaloblast Melan- (Gk) Black Melanin; melanocyte; melanoma Men, Menos (Gk) and Mensis, Menses (L) Month Amenorrhoea (Gk); menstrual (L) Meso- (Gk) Middle, among Mesoderm Meta- (Gk) After, among, between, beyond Metacarpal; metamorphosis; metanephros; metaphysis; metastasis Metra- (Gk) Uterus Metritis; endometrium; myometrium Micro- (Gk) Small Microscope; microsome; microbe Mono- (Gk) One, alone Mononuclear; monocyte; Morph- (Gk) Shape, relating to form Morphology Myel- (Gk) Marrow, pertaining to spinal cord Myeloma; osteomyelitis Myo- (Gk) Muscle Myometrium; myopathy Neo- (Gk) New Neonatal; neoplasm Nephr- (Gk) Kidney (used more when referring to functional unit of kidney) Nephron Neuro- (Gk) Nerve Neuroanatomy: neurology: neurone Oligo (Gk) Few, small Oliguria Omo- (Gk) Shoulder Omotranversarius Ophthalm- (Gk) Eye Ophthalmology; ophthalmic Ortho- (Gk) Straight Orthopaedics Osteo- (Gk) Bone Osteoblast; osteology

Oto- (Gk) Ear Otitis; otolith Oxy- (Gk) Sharp, Oxygen; oxytocin Pan- (Gk) All Pandemic; panacea; pancreas Palaeo- (Gk) Old Palaeocerebellum; palaeothalamus Para- (Gk) Beside, next to Paravertebral Per- (L) Through Percutaneous Peri- (Gk) Around, near Pericardium; periosteum; peripheral Phreno- (Gk) Diaphragm Phrenosplenic; phrenic Platy- (Gk) Flat, Wide Platyhelminth; platysma; Platypus Pleo- (Gk) More Pleocytosis; pleomorphism Pneumo(no)- (Gk) Lungs Pneumothorax; pneumonia Poikilo- (Gk) Unequal, varied Poikilocytosis; poikilothermy Poly- (Gk) Many Polydipsia; polydonty; polymorphic; polyploidy Post- (L) After, behind Postoperative; postpartum; postganglionic Pre- (L) Before, in front of Preganglionic; preoperative; presphenoid Pro- (Gk) Prior, before, in front of Proglottis; pronephros Procto- (Gk) Anus Proctitis; proctodeum Proto- (Gk) First Protoplasm; prototype; Protozoa Pseudo- (Gk) False Pseudocyesis (phantom pregnancy); pseudonym Pulmo- (L) Lungs Pulmonary Pyelo- (Gk) Trough/basin, hence Pelvis of kidney Pyelitis; pyelography; pyelonephritis Re- (L) Again, turning back Reproduction; Recycle Ren(o)- (L) Kidney (used more when referring to kidney as a whole entity) Renosplenic; renal Retro- (L) Behind Retroperitoneal; retrograde Rub(r)o- (L) Red Rubrospinal tract; rubifacient Sarco- (Gk) Flesh, muscle Sarcolemma; sarcoma; sarcomere; sarcoplasm Semi- (L) Half Semicircular canals Stoma (Gk, L) Mouth Stomatology; stomatitis Sub- (L) Under Subcutaneous; subarachnoid Super- (L), Above, over, on top Superficial; superfluous; superovulation Supra- (L) Above, over Suprarenal

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Sym- (Gk) With, together Symmetry; symphysis; symbiosis Syn- (Gk) Together, with Synapse; synchronise; syncytium; synsacrum Ter- (L) Three (Thrice) Tertian; tertiary Trans- (L) Across Transfer; transfusion; translocation; transurethral Tri- (Gk) Three Triceps; trigeminal; tripod Ultimo- (L) Ultimate, furthest, last Ultimobranchial; ultimatum Uni- (L) Single, one Unicellular; unipolar; unilateral Vaso- (L) Vessel Vasoconstriction; vasomotor; vas deferens Vesic(o)- (Gk) Pertaining to the bladder Vesico-genital; vesical

Common Suffixes -al (L) of the kind, pertaining to pericardial; renal -aemia (Gk) Pertaining to blood Anaemia; pyaemia -agogue (Gk) Leading forth, stimulating Pedagogue; cholagogue; secretagogue -agra (Gk) A painful seizure Podagra: ?Viagra -algia (Gk) Pain Neuralgia; myalgia -blast (Gk) Pertaining to formation Chondroblast; osteoblast; myoblast; ameloblast -coele, -cele (Gk) Cavity, rupture Hydrocele; varicocele (the same root is in coelom) -cyte (Gk) Pertaining to cell Oocyte; chondrocyte -ectomy (Gk) Surgical removal Append[ic]ectomy; orchidectomy; mastectomy -eous (Gk) Of that kind Sebaceous; proteinaceous -fer (L) A carrier of Seminiferous; transfer -graph (Gk) To write, describe Cardiograph; pneumotachograph -ia (Gk) Morbid condition of the given word Pneumonia -ic (Gk) Used to make adjective Cephalic; pelvic; ureteric -iculus (L) Diminutive form Colliculus; panniculus -iform (L) Shape, form Spongiform; vermiform; cuneiform; cribriform -ismus (Gk) Connoting disease Strabismus; vaginismus -itis (Gk) Inflammation of Myelitis; otitis; pharyngitis; vaginitis -logy (Gk) Treatise, word Biology; parasitology; psychology; rheumatology -mania (Gk) Madness Nymphomania; pyromania; maniacal

-odyne (Gk) Pain Anodyne -oid (Gk) Form Anthropoid; mastoid; osteoid -olus (L) Diminutive form Alveolus -oma (Gk) Swelling (Tumour) Osteoma; sarcoma; haematoma; hamartoma -opia (Gk) Eye, eyesight Myopia; amblyopia -osis (Gk) Condition, disease Thyrotoxicosis -ostomy (Gk) Opening Colostomy; tracheostomy -ous (L) Of that type Bulbous; nervous -pathy (Gk) Suffering from; disease Neuropathy; myopathy; cardiopathy -phil (Gk) loving, having affinity for Haemophilia, Haemophilus -phobia (Gk) Fear Agrophobia; claustrophobia; hydrophobia -plasty (Gk) To form, to mould Rhinoplasty -rhagia (Gk) To burst Haemorrhagia -rhoea (Gk) Flowing Diarrhoea; rhinorrhoea; steatorrhoea -stasis (Gk) Stagnation; stoppage Haemostasis; bowel stasis; lymph stasis -scope, -scopy (Gk) Viewing and making visible Microscope; ophthalmoscope; stethoscope Endoscopy; microscopy -tomy (Gk) To cut Anatomy; neurotomy -ule, -ula, -ulus (L) Diminutive form Saccule; venule; ampulla; hamulus -uria (Gk) Pertaining to urine Haematuria; polyuria; anuria; proteinuria

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