Prefixes, Combining Word Roots, and Suffixes Used in Medical Terminology 537post-after (postpartum: after delivery of a baby)
pre- before (precancerous: a growth that probably will
become malignant)
pro-before, in front of (progeria: premature old age, before
its time)
pseudo-false (pseudomembrane: false membrane)
py/o-pus (pyogenic: pus producing)
pyel/o-renal pelvis (pyelogram: an x-ray of the renal pelvis
and ureter)quadr/i-four (quadriceps femoris: a thigh muscle with four
parts)retro-behind, backward (retroperitoneal: located behind
the peritoneum)
rhin/o-nose (rhinoviruses that cause the common cold)salping/o-fallopian tube (salpingitis: inflammation of a fal-
lopian tube)
sarc/o-flesh, muscle (sarcolemma: membrane of a muscle
cell)
sclero-hard (sclerosis: deterioration of tissue with loss of
function)
semi-half (semilunar valve: a valve shaped like a half-moon)
steno-narrow (aortic stenosis: narrowing of the aorta)
sub-below, beneath (subcutaneous: below the skin)
supra-above (suprarenal gland: gland above the kidney, the
adrenal gland)
sym-together (symphysis: a joint where two bones meet)
syn-together (synapse: the space between two nerve cells)tachy-fast (tachycardia: rapid heart rate)
thorac/o-chest (thoracic cavity: chest cavity)
thromb/o-clot (thrombosis: formation of a blood clot)
tox-poison (toxicology: the study of poisons)
trans-across (transmural: across the wall of an organ)
tri-three (trigone: a three-sided area on the floor of the uri-
nary bladder)ultra-excessive, extreme (ultrasonic: sound waves beyond
the normal hearing range)
un/i-one (unicellular: made of one cell)
uria-, uro-urine (urinary calculi: stones in the urine)vas/o-vessel (vasodilation: dilation of a blood vessel)
viscera-, viscero-organ (visceral pleura: the pleural mem-
brane that covers the lungs)SUFFIXES-acpertaining to (cardiac: pertaining to the heart)
-alpertaining to (intestinal: pertaining to the intestine)
-an, -iancharacteristic of, pertaining to, belonging to (ovar-
ian cyst: a cyst of the ovary)-arrelating to (muscular: relating to muscles)
-aryrelating to, connected with (salivary: relating to saliva)
-aseenzyme (sucrase: an enzyme that digests sucrose)
-atresiaabnormal closure (biliary atresia: closure or absence
of bile ducts)-blastgrow, produce (osteoblast: a bone-producing cell)-celeswelling, tumor (meningocele: a hernia of the men-
inges)
-centesispuncture of a cavity (thoracocentesis: puncture of
the chest cavity to remove fluid)
-cidekill (bactericide: a chemical that kills bacteria)
-clastdestroy, break down (osteoclast: a bone-reabsorbing
cell)-desisbinding, stabilizing, fusion (arthrodesis: the surgical
immobilization of a joint)
-dipsiathirst (polydipsia: excessive thirst)
-dyniapain (gastrodynia: stomach pain)-ectasia, -ectasisexpansion (atelectasis: without expansion)
-ectomyexcision, cutting out (thyroidectomy: removal of
the thyroid)
-emiapertaining to blood (hypokalemia: low blood potas-
sium level)-formstructure (spongiform: resembling a sponge)-genproducting (carcinogen: a substance that produces
cancer)
-genesisproduction of, origin of (spermatogenesis: produc-
tion of sperm)
-globinprotein (myoglobin: a muscle protein)
-gramrecord, writing (electroencephalogram: a record of
the electrical activity of the brain)
-graphan instrument for making records (ultrasonography:
the use of ultrasound to produce an image)-iacondition (pneumonia: condition of inflammation of the
lungs)
-iasisdiseased condition (cholelithiasis: gallstones)
-icpertaining to (atomic: pertaining to atoms)
-ilehaving qualities of (febrile: feverish)
-ism condition, process (alcoholism: condition of being
dependent on alcohol)
-istpractitioner, specialist (neurologist: a specialist in dis-
eases of the nervous system)
-itisinflammation (hepatitis: inflammation of the liver)-lepsyseizure (narcolepsy: a sudden onset of sleep)
-lithstone, crystal (otoliths: stones in the inner ear)
-logystudy of (virology: the study of viruses)
-lysisbreak down (hemolysis: rupture of red blood cells)28Scanlon(p3) App-F 8/17/06 11:07 AM Page 537