| Prefixes, the most frequently
used elements in the formation of Greek and Latin words, consist
of one or more syllables (prepositions or adverbs) placed before
words or roots to show various kinds of relationships. They are
never used independently, but when added before verbs, adjectives,
or nouns, they modify the meaning. Many prefixes are added to
other words with a hyphen, but medical dictionary publishers are
opting to drop the hyphen on many of the more common prefixed
medical words.
Most prefixes are a part of words in ordinary speech and do
not refer specifically to medical or scientific terminology, but
there are many that occur frequently in medical terminology, and
studying them is an important step in learning medical terms and
building a medical vocabulary.
|
Prefix
|
Translation of Greek
or Latin
|
Examples
|
| Contra |
Against, opposite |
Contralateral (opposite side); contraception
(prevention of conception); contraindicated (not indicated) |
| De |
Away from |
Dehydrate (remove water from); dedentition (removal
of teeth); decompensation (failure of compensation) |
| Di |
Twice, double |
Diplopia (double vision); dichromatic (two colors);
digastric (double stomach) |
| Dia |
Through, apart, across, completely |
Diaphragm (wall across); diapedesis (ooze through);
diagnosis (complete knowledge) |
| Dis |
Reversal, apart from, separation |
Disinfection (apart from infection); disparity
(apart from equality); dissect (cut apart) |
| Dys |
Bad, difficult, disordered |
Dyspepsia (bad digestion); dyspnea (difficult
breathing); dystopia (disordered position) |
| E, ex |
Out, away from |
Enucleate (remove from); eviscerate (take out
viscera or bowels); exostosis (outgrowth of bone) |
| Ec |
Out from |
Ectopic (out of place); eccentric (away from
center); ectasia (stretching out or dilation) |
| Ecto |
On outer side, situated on |
Ectoderm (outer skin);ectoretina (outer layer
of retina) |
| Em, en. |
In |
Empyema (pus in); encephalon (in the head) |
| Endo |
Within |
Endocardium (within heart); endometrium (within
uterus) |
| Epi |
Upon, on |
Epidural (upon dura); epidermis (on skin) |
| Exo |
Outside, on outer side, outer layer |
Exogenous (produce outside); exocolitis (inflammation
of outer coat of colon) |
| Extra |
Outside |
Extracellular (outside cell); extrapleural (outside
pleura) |
| He mi |
Half |
Hemiplegia (partial paralysis); hemianesthesia
(loss of feeling on one side of body) |
| Hyper |
Over, above, excessive |
Hyperemia (excessive blood); hypertrophy (overgrowth);
hyperplasia (excessive formation) |
| Hypo |
Under, below, deficient |
Hypotension (low blood pressure); hypothyroidism
(deficiency or underfunction of thyroid) |
Continued . . . 
The list below covers just a few areas of interest that
are, in fact, the foundations for learning the language of medicine
- medical terminology.
|
 | Medword Online Store Ad |  |
 SPELLEX Spell Checkers: Biotech, Botanical, English, Dental, Geographical, Legal, Medical, Pharmaceutical, Technical, Veterinary Annual Quarterly Updates: Spell-X-BioPlus, Spell-X-Plus Medical, Spell-X-VetPlus Special Bundles: Menu, Botanical Prescription, Perfect Bio Prescription, Perfect Defense, Perfect Prescription, Premium Dental, Technical Prescription, Veterinary Suite Other Products: AccuCount Line Counter, CD-ROM Medical Dictionary, Spellex-Anywhere, Spellex for Outlook Express |
|
| MEDWORD INTEGRITY | | | BUY HERE SAFELY |
|
|
