Medical Terminology Simplified

Common Prefixes • CHAPTER 1 25

Prefix Term Meaning

retro- retro/version

backward, behind rĕt-rō-VĔR-shŭn

-version: turning

super- super/ior

upper, above soo-PĒ-rē-or

-ior: pertaining to

Pronunciation Help Long sound a ̄in ra ̄te e ̄in re ̄birth ı ̄in ı ̄sle o ̄in o ̄ver u ̄in u ̄nite

Short sound a ̆in a ̆lone e ̆in e ̆ver ̆ıin ı ̆t o ̆in no ̆t u ̆in cu ̆t

*The prefix a-is usually used before a consonant.
†The prefix an-is usually used before a vowel.

Competency Verification:Check your answers in Appendix B: Answer Key, page 562. If you are not satisfied with
your level of comprehension, review the common prefixes tables. You may also visit the medicallanguagelab.com to
review the chapter’s flash-card exercises of suffixes and prefixes before proceeding to Chapter 2.

Visit the Medical Terminology Simplifiedonline resource center at DavisPlusfor an

audio exercise of the terms in the Word Elements tables. It will help you master

pronunciations and meanings of the medical terms.