| 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
|
| Im, in |
In, Into |
Immersion (act of dipping in); infiltration
(act of filtering in); injection (act of forcing liquid into) |
| Im, in |
Not |
Immature (not mature); involuntary (not voluntary);
inability (not able) |
| Infra |
Below |
Infraorbital (below eye); infraclavicular (below
clavicle or collarbone) |
| Inter |
Between |
Intercostal (between ribs); intervene (come
between) |
| Intra |
Within |
Intracerebral (within cerebrum); intraocular
(within eyes); intraventricular (within ventricles ) |
| Intro |
Into, within |
Introversion (turning inward); introduce (lead
into) |
| Meta |
Beyond, after, change |
Metamorphosis (change of form); metastasis change
(beyond original position); metacarpal (beyond wrist) |
| Opistho |
Behind, backward |
Opisthotic (behind ears); opisthognathous (beyond
jaws) |
| Para |
Beside, beyond, near to |
Paracardiac (beside the heart); paraurethral
(near the urethra) |
| Per |
Through, excessive |
Permeate (pass through); perforate (bore through);
peracute (excessively acute) |
| Peri |
Around |
Periosteum (around bone); periatrial. (around
atrium); peribronchial (around bronchus) |
| Post |
After, behind |
Postoperative (after operation); postpartum
(after childbirth); postocular (behind eye) |
| Pre |
Before, in front of |
Premaxillary (in front of maxilla); preoral
(in front of mouth) |
| Pro |
Before, in front of |
Prognosis (foreknowledge); prophase (appear
before) |
| Re |
Back, again, contrary |
Reflex (bend back); revert (turn again to);
regurgitation (backward flowing, contrary to normal) |
| Retro |
Backward, located behind |
Retrocervical (located behind cervix); retrograde
(going backward); retrolingual. (behind tongue) |
| Semi |
Half |
Semicartilaginous (half cartilage); semilunar(halfmoon);
semiconscious (half conscious) |
| Sub |
Under |
Subcutaneous (under skin); subarachnoid (under
arachnoid); subungual (under nail) |
| Super |
Above, upper, excessive |
Supercilia (upper brows); supernumerary (excessive
number); supermedial (above middle) |
| Supra |
Above, upper, excessive |
Suprarenal (above kidney); suprasternal (above
sternum); suprascapular (on upper part of scapula) |
| Sym, syndrome |
Together, with |
Symphysis (growing together); synapsis (joining
together); synarthrosis (articulation of joints together) |
| Trans |
Across, through, beyond |
Transection (cut across); transduodenal (through
duodenum); transmit (send beyond) |
| Ultra |
Beyond, in excess |
Ultraviolet (beyond violet end of spectrum);
ultraligation (ligation of vessel beyond point of origin); ultrasonic
(sound waves beyond the upper frequency of hearing by human ear)
|
The list below covers just a few areas of interest
that are, in fact, the foundations for learning the language of
medicine - medical terminology.
|
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