| PREFIX | DEFINITION | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| a-, an- | lacking, without |
anemia – lack of blood aphasia – without speech |
| ad- | near, toward | adrenal – near the kidney |
| anti- | against |
anticoagulant – prevent blood clotting |
| ect-, ecto- | outsider | ectoderm – outer skin |
| end-, endo- | inner, within |
endodontium – dental pulp |
| hyper | above, beyond | hypertension – high blood pressure |
| hyp-, hypo- | under, deficient | hypothermia – low body temperature |
| inter- | between | intercostal – between the rib |
| intra- | within | intravenous – within a vein |
| neo- | new neonate | – newly born |
| poly- | many | polydipsia – excessive thirst |
| sub- | under |
sublingual – beneath the tongue |
| SUFFIX | DEFINITION | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| -algia | pain | neuralgia – pain in nerves |
| -ectomy | cut out | appendectomy – removal of the appendix |
| -emia | blood condition | anemia - lack of blood |
| -esis, -osis, -y, -ia, -ity | condition, state | scoliosis – spine curvature |
| -gram, - graphy | written, record | mammogram – x-ray of breast |
| -ites, -itis | inflammation | carditis – inflammation of heart |
| -oma | tumor | lymphoma – lymph tissue |
| -penia | lack of |
glycopenia – sugar deficiency in tissues |
| -plasty | surgical shaping | rhinoplasty - nose |
| -pnea | breathing | apnea – cessation in breathing |
| -stomy | surgical opening | tracheostomy – into the trachea |
| -scopy | to examine | cystoscopy - bladder |
Category: English for Work
Tags: medicine, words, expressions, suffixes and prefixes
