Common Prefixes, Roots and Suffixes in Medical Terminology

Clinical pharmacists have the responsibility of dispensing drugs to both the in-patient and out-patient services of their institution. Some have extended their professional responsibilities to making ward rounds with physicians, monitoring drug therapy for safety, efficacy and desired clinical outcomes and identifying possible drug interactions.

To perform these professional roles effectively, in addition to an understanding of pharmacology and biopharmaceutics, clinical pharmacists must be able to communicate effectively with other members of the healthcare team. In this article, therefore, an attempt has been made to outline some medical terminologies by giving definitions for the prefixes and suffixes that form their root. These are by no means exhaustive.

Prefixes in medical terminology

A prefix appears at the beginning of a word and generally describes location and intensity. By learning to recognize a few of the more commonly used medical prefixes, you can figure out the meanings of terms that may not be immediately familiar to you. It is worthy to note that not all medical terms have prefixes.

The following is an alphabetical list of common medical prefixes, along with their meaning, and an English example.

A – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
a-, an-	without, lack of	anuria (lack of urine output)
ab-	away from	abnormal (a structure or process that is not normal)
ad-	toward, near	adrenal glands (two small triangular endocrine glands situated one upon the upper end of each kidney)
ambi-	both sides	ambidextrous (using both hands)
ante-	before, forward	antepartum (an event before labour starts in pregnancy)
anti-	against	Antidotes (a therapeutic substance used to counteract the toxic action(s) of a specific substance)
apo-	off, away from	apophysis (growth or protuberance)
auto-	self	autograft (a transplant made using parts of the person’s own body)

B – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefix	Meaning	Example (Definition)
bi-	two, both	bilateral (occurring on both sides of the body)

C – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
cata-	downwards	Catabolism (the process of breaking down complex chemicals into simple chemicals)
con-	with, together	congenital (disease or physical abnormality present from birth)

D – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
de-	without	depigmentation (without pigment)
diplo-	double	diplopia (double vision)
dys-	painful, difficult, abnormal	Dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing)

E – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
ec-, ecto	out, outside	ectoderm (the outer layer of an early embryo)
endo-	within, inside	endoscopy (an examination of the inside of the body using an endoscope)
epi-	above	epigastric (above the stomach)
eu-	normal	euthyroid (normal thyroid function)
ex-	outwards	exostosis (condition of outward, or projecting, bone)
extra-	outside of	extrapleural (outside the pleural cavity)

H – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
hemi-	half	hemiplegia (paralysis that is limited to one side of the body)
hetero-	different	heterograft (A transplant from one animal to another of a different species)
homo-	same	homoplasty (surgery to replace lost tissues by grafting similar tissues from another person)
hyper-	excessive, too much, above	hyperplasia (an abnormal increase in the number of cells in a tissue.)
hypo-	deficient, below	hypotension (low blood pressure), hypodermic (below the skin)

I – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
in-	inward, not	inhalation (to breathe in), infertility (not fertile)
Infra-	beneath	infra-axillary (below the axilla)
inter-	between	intervertebral (between the vertebrae)
intra-	within	intramuscular (into the muscle)

J – Prefix used in medical terms

Prefix	Meaning	Example (Definition)
juxta-	near	juxta-articular (near a joint)

M – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
macro-	large	macroglossia (an abnormally large tongue)
mal-	bad, abnormal	malformation (abnormally formed)
mega-	great, large	megacolon (enlarged colon)
meta-	change, beyond	metaplasia (a change of one tissue to another), metastasis (the spreading of a malignant disease to distant parts of the body through the bloodstream or the lymph system)
micro-	small	microtia (having small ears)
mono-	one	monochromatic (having only one colour)
morph(o)-	shape	morphology (study of the form and structure of organisms)
multi-	many	Multigravida (a pregnant woman who has had more than one pregnancy)

N– Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
neo-	new	neonatal (pertaining to the first month of life.)
nulli-	none	nullipara (a woman who has never borne a child)

O – Prefix used in medical terms

Prefix	Meaning	Example (Definition)
olig(o)-	scanty, little	oliguria (an abnormally low excretion of urine)

P – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
pan-	all	panacea (a medicine which is supposed to cure everything)
Par(a)-	beside, abnormal	paranasal (beside the nose), paraesthesia (abnormal or an unexplained tingling sensation)
per-	through	percutaneous (through the skin)
peri-	surrounding	periosteum (membrane surrounding a bone)
pico-	one-trillionth	picornavirus (extremely small RNA virus)
poly-	many, much	polyuria (production of excessive amounts of urine)
post-	after	postpartum (after childbirth)
pre-	before	precancer (a growth or cell which is not malignant but which may become cancerous)
pseudo-	false	pseudocyesis (spurious or false pregnancy)

Q – Prefix used in medical terms

Prefix	Meaning	Example (Definition)
quadri-	four	quadriplegia (paralysis of the four limbs of the body)

R – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
re-	again	reinfection (infection of an area for another time after recovery, especially with the same microorganism)
retr(o)-	backward, behind	retrograde (going backwards or deteriorating), retroperitoneal (at the back of the peritoneum)

S – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
semi-	Partial, half	semicomatose (almost unconscious or half asleep, but capable of being woken up)
sub-	under, less than	subcutaneous (under the skin)
super-	above	supercilia (the eyebrow)
supra-	above, upon	suprarenal (above the kidneys
syn-	with, together	syndrome (a group of symptoms occurring together regularly, and thus constituting a disease to which some particular name is given)

T – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
tetra-	four	tetraplegia (paralysis of the body’s four limbs, also called quadriplegia.)
trans-	through, across	transdermal (entering through the skin), transurethral (across the urethra)

U – Prefixes used in medical terms

Prefixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
un-	not	unconscious (not conscious)
uni-	one	unilateral (affecting one side of the body only)

Medical Root Words

The root of a word is the foundation of a medical term and provides the general meaning of the word. It can be a whole word or part of a word. Medical root words come from many different languages (e.g., Greek, Latin, Arabic, French, and German) and find their way into English. Some commonly used medical root words in their combining form, their meaning, and examples are listed below.

A – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
abdomin(o)-	abdomen	abdominoscopy (an internal examination of the abdomen, usually with an endoscope)
acou-	hearing	acoustics (the science of sounds)
acr(o)-	extremity, peak	acrocyanosis (a blue coloration of the extremities, i.e. the fingers, toes, ears and nose, which is due to poor circulation)
aden(o)-	gland	adenocarcinoma (a malignant tumour of a gland)
adipo-	fat	adiposis (a state where too much fat is accumulated in the body)
andr(o)-	male	androsterone (one of the male sex hormones)
angi(o)-	blood vessel	angiosarcoma (a malignant tumour in a blood vessel)
ankyl	crooked, fusion	ankylosis (a condition in which the bones of a joint fuse together)
arteri(o)-	arteries	arteriopathy (a disease of an artery)
arthr(o)-	joint	arthroplasty (a surgical operation to repair or replace a joint)

B – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
bili	bile	biliuria (the presence of bile in the urine)
bi(o)-	life	biocide (a substance which kills living organisms)
blast- or -blast	embryonic state	blastocyst (an early stage in the development of an embryo)
blephar(o)-	eyelid	blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelid)
brachi(o)-	arm	brachialis muscle (a muscle that causes the elbow to bend)
brady-	slow	bradypnoea (unusually slow breathing)

C – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
calc(i)	heel	calcaneus (the heel bone situated underneath the talus)
carcin(o)-	cancer	carcinogen (a substance which produces a carcinoma or cancer)
cardi(o)-	heart	cardiopathy (any kind of heart disease)
caud-	tail	caudal (toward the tail)
cephal(o)-	head	cephalalgia (pain in the head)
cerebr(o)-	cerebrum	cerebrospinal (referring to the brain and the spinal cord)
chem(o)-	chemical	chemotherapy (treatment with chemicals)
chol(e)-	bile	cholecystitis (acute or chronic inflammation of the gallbladder, causing severe abdominal pain)
chondr(o)-	cartilage	chondritis (inflammation of a cartilage)
col(i)(o)-	colon	colitis (inflammation of the colon)
cost(o)-	rib	costalgia (pain around the chest due to damage to a rib or to one of the intercostal nerves beneath the ribs)
cut-	skin	cutaneous (relating to the skin)
cyan(o)-	blue	cyanosis (a bluish coloration of the skin or mucous membranes due to too much deoxygenated haemoglobin in the blood)
cyst(i)(o)-	bladder	cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder, which makes someone pass water often and with a burning sensation)
cyt(o)-	cell	cytodiagnosis (diagnosis after examination of cells)

D – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
derm- or -derm	skin	dermatitis (inflammation of the skin)
dors(i)(o)-	back	dorsum (the back of any part of the body)

E – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
encephal(o)-	brain	encephaloma (a tumour of the brain)
enter(o)-	intestine	enterocolitis (inflammation of the colon and small intestine)
erythr(o)-	red	erythrocytes (a mature red blood cell)

F – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
fasci-	bundle	fasciae (bundles of muscle fibers)
febri-	fever	febrile (feverish or related to fever, as in febrile convulsions)
fil-	threadlike	filariasis (a tropical disease caused by parasitic threadworms in the lymph system, transmitted by mosquito bites)

G – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
galact(o)-	milk	galactorrhoea (the excessive production of milk)
gastro-	stomach	gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
ger(o)- or geront(o)-	aging	gerontology (study of aging)
gloss(o)(a)-	tongue	glossitis (inflammation of the surface of the tongue)

H – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
haeme(a)(o)- or haemato-	blood	haematology (the scientific study of blood, its formation and its diseases)
hepat(o)-	liver	hepatitis (inflammation of the liver through disease or drugs)
hist(i)(o)-	tissue	histogenesis (the formation and development of tissue from the embryological germ layer)
hydro-	water	hydrorrhoea (a discharge of watery fluid)
hyster(o)-	uterus	hysterotomy (a surgical incision into the uterus, as in caesarean section or for some types of abortion)

I – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
ile(o)-	ileum	ileostomy (a surgical operation to make an opening between the ileum and the abdominal wall to act as an artificial opening for excretion of faeces)
ischi(o)-	hip	ischiopubic (pertaining to the ischium and pubes)

J – Medical Root Words

Root	Meaning	Example (Definition)
jejun(o)-	jejunum	jejunectomy (a surgical operation to cut into the jejunum)

K– Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
kerat(o)-	horny tissue, cornea	keratoma (a hard-thickened growth due to hypertrophy of the horny zone of the skin)
kine(t)(o)-	movement	kinesiology (the study of human movements, particularly with regard to their use in treatment)

L – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
labio-	lips, labia	labioplasty (a surgical operation to repair damaged or deformed lips)
lact(o)-	milk	lactose (a type of sugar found in milk)
laryng(o)-	larynx	laryngology (the study of diseases of the larynx, throat and vocal cords)
leuk(o)-	white	leukocytes (a white blood cell which contains a nucleus but has no haemoglobin)
lip(o)-	fat	lipoma (a benign tumour formed of fatty tissue)
lith(o)-	stone	litholapaxy (the evacuation of pieces of a stone in the bladder after crushing it with a lithotrite)

M – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
mamm(o)-	breast	mammoplasty (plastic surgery to alter the shape or size of the breasts)
mast(o)-	breast	mastectomy (the surgical removal of a breast)
melan(o)-	black	melanoma (a tumour formed of dark pigmented cells)
meno-	menses	menorrhagia (very heavy bleeding during menstruation)
my(o)-	muscle	myocele (a condition in which a muscle pushes through a gap in the surrounding membrane)
myc(o)-	fungus	mycosis (any disease caused by a fungus, e.g. athlete’s foot)
myel(o)-	bone marrow, spinal cord	myelocyte (a cell in bone marrow which develops into a granulocyte)
myx	mucus	myxoma (a benign tumour of mucous tissue, usually found in subcutaneous tissue of the limbs and neck)

N– Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
nas(o)-	nose	nasosinusitis (a condition in which the nose and sinuses swell up)
nephr(o)-	kidney	nephrolithiasis (a condition in which stones form in the kidney)
neur(o)-	nerve or nervous system	neurohormone (a hormone produced in some nerve cells and secreted from the nerve endings)

O – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
ocul(o)-	eye	oculoplethysmography (measurement of the pressure inside the eyeball)
onc(o)-	tumor (cancerous)	oncogene (a part of the genetic system which causes malignant tumours to develop)
ophthalm(o)-	eye	ophthalmoplegia (paralysis of the muscles of the eye)
orchi(o)-	testes	orchitis (inflammation of the testes, characterised by hypertrophy, pain and a sensation of weight)
oro	mouth	oropharynx (a part of the pharynx below the soft palate at the back of the mouth)
oste(o)-	bone	osteitis (inflammation of a bone due to injury or infection)
ot(o)-	ear	otorrhoea (the discharge of pus from the ear)

P – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
paed- or ped(o)-	child	paediatrics (the study of children, their development and diseases.)
path(o)-	disease	pathogen (microorganism which causes a disease)
pharmaco	drugs	pharmacokinetics (the study of how the body reacts to drugs over a period of time)
pharyng(o)-	pharynx	pharyngitis (sore throat)
phleb(o)-	vein	phlebolith (a stone which forms in a vein as a result of an old thrombus becoming calcified)
phot(o)-	light	photopsia (a condition of the eye in which someone sees flashes of light)
plasm(o)-	liquid part of blood	plasminogen (a substance in blood plasma which becomes activated and forms plasmin)
pleur(o)-	pleura, rib, side	pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura)
pneum(o)-	lung	pneumonia (inflammation of a lung, where the tiny alveoli of the lung become filled with fluid)
pod(o)-	foot	podiatry (the study of minor diseases and disorders of the feet)
proct(o)-	anus or rectum	proctoclysis (the introduction of a lot of fluid into the rectum slowly)
psych(o)-	mind	psychiatry (study and treatment of mental disorders)
pyel(o)-	kidney	pyelotomy (a surgical operation to make an opening in the pelvis of the kidney)
pyr(o)-	burning or fever	pyrogen (a substance which causes fever)

R – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
ren(o)-	kidney	renography (an examination of a kidney after injection of a radioactive substance, using a gamma camera)
rhin(o)-	nose	rhinoplasty (plastic surgery to correct the appearance of the nose)

S – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
sarc(o)-	flesh	sarcoma (a highly malignant tumour made of connective tissue cells)
scler(o)-	hard	scleroma (a patch of hard skin or hard mucous membrane)
soma- or somat(o)-	body	somatization (psychiatric condition expressed through physical symptoms)
sten(o)-	narrow	stenosis (a condition in which a passage becomes narrow)

T – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
tachy	Rapid, fast	tachyarrhythmia (a fast irregular heartbeat)
therm(o)-	heat	thermoanaesthesia (a condition in which someone cannot tell the difference between hot and cold)
thorac(o)-	chest	thoracotomy (a surgical operation to remove one or more ribs)
thromb(o)-	clot	thromboangiitis (a condition in which the blood vessels swell and develop blood clots along their walls)
trache(o)-	trachea	tracheobronchitis (inflammation of both the trachea and the bronchi)

U – Medical Root Words

Root	Meaning	Example (Definition)
ur(o)-	urinary, urine	urochesia (the passing of urine through the rectum, due to injury of the urinary system)

V – Medical Root Words

Roots	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
vas(o)-	Vessel, vas deferens	vasopressor (a substance which increases blood pressure by narrowing the blood vessels), vasoligation (a surgical operation to tie the vasa deferentia to prevent infection entering the epididymis from the urinary system)
ven(i)(o)-	vein	venoclysis (the procedure of slowly introducing a saline or other solution into a vein)
vesic(o)-	bladder	vesicospinal (pertaining to the urinary bladder and spine)

Suffixes in medical terminology

Suffixes are attached at the end of words to change or add to the original meaning. In medical terminology, suffixes usually signify a medical condition, surgical procedure, diagnostic term, test information, disease, or part of speech. Some suffixes also signify medical practice or practitioners.

The following is an alphabetical list of common suffixes used in medical terminologies, along with their meaning, and examples (definitions).

A – Suffix used in medical terms

Suffix	Meaning	Example (Definition)
-algia	pain	neuralgia (a spasm of pain which runs along a nerve)

C – Suffix used in medical terms

Suffix	Meaning	Example (Definition)
-cyte	cell	leucocyte (white blood cell)

E – Suffixes used in medical terms

Suffixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
-ectasis	dilation	bronchiectasis (dilated bronchi)
-ectomy	surgical removal	splenectomy (a surgical operation to remove the spleen)
-oedema (also a standalone word)	excessive fluid	angioedema (fluid buildup that causes swelling under the skin)
-emesis	vomiting	hematemesis (vomiting of blood)

I – Suffixes used in medical terms

Suffixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
-itis	inflammation	colitis (inflammation of the colon)
-ism	state of	hypothyroidism (state of low thyroid)

L – Suffixes used in medical terms

Suffixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
-logist	one who studies	cardiologist (a doctor who specialises in the study of the heart)
-lys(i)(o)	breakdown	cytolysis (the breaking down of cells)

O – Suffixes used in medical terms

Suffixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
-oma	tumour	glioma (any tumour of the glial tissue in the brain or spinal cord)
-osis	condition	fibrosis (the process of replacing damaged tissue by scar tissue)

P – Suffixes used in medical terms

Suffixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
-pathy	disease	myopathy (muscle disease)
-plasia	growth	hypoplasia (a lack of development or incorrect formation of a body tissue or an organ)
-plasty	surgical repair	angioplasty (plastic surgery to repair a blood vessel, e.g. a narrowed coronary artery)
-plegia	paralysis	hemiplegia (severe paralysis affecting one side of the body due to damage of the central nervous system)
-pnoea	breathing	orthopnoea (a condition in which a person has great difficulty in breathing while lying down)
-poiesis	production	erythropoiesis (the formation of red blood cells in red bone marrow)
-praxia	movement	apraxia (a condition in which someone is unable to make proper movements)

R – Suffix used in medical terms

Suffix	Meaning	Example (Definition)
-rrhoea	fluid discharge	diarrhoea (a condition in which someone frequently passes liquid faeces)

S – Suffixes used in medical terms

Suffixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
-scope	observe	endoscope (tool for observing the interior of body organs)
-stomy	opening	duodenostomy (a permanent opening made between the duodenum and the abdominal wall)

T – Suffixes used in medical terms

Suffixes	Meanings	Examples (Definitions)
-taxis	movement	ataxia (a failure of the brain to control movements)
-tomy	incision	canaliculotomy (a surgical operation to open up a little canal)
-tripsy	crushing	lithotripsy (the process of breaking up kidney or gall bladder stones into small fragments that the body can eliminate them unaided)
-trophy	growth	hypertrophy (an increase in the number or size of cells in a tissue)

References

• Aguwa, C. (2012). Therapeutic Basis of Clinical Pharmacy In the Tropics, (4th ed.). Nigeria: Snaap Press Ltd.
• Fremgen, B. and Frucht, S. (2016). Medical Terminology: A Living Language, (6th ed.). USA: Pearson Education, Inc.
• Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (2009). Medical Terminology Made Incredibly Easy!, (3rd ed.). USA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.