This is a used in medical terminology, their meanings, and their etymologies. Most of them are combining forms in Neo-Latin and hence international scientific vocabulary. There are a few general rules about how they combine. Prefixes and suffixes, most of which are derived from ancient Greek or classical Latin, have a droppable vowel, usually -o-. Generally, this vowel acts as a joint-stem to connect two consonantal roots (e.g. + + -logy = arthrology), but the -o- is typically dropped when connecting to a vowel-stem (e.g. + -itis = arthritis, instead of ).
Prefixes and suffixes The following is an alphabetical list of medical prefixes and suffixes, along with their meanings, origins, and English examples.
A Affix Meaning Origin language and etymology Example(s) , ἀ- in Liddell and Scott not, without (alpha privative) Greek (), not, without analgesic, apathy, anencephaly from; away from Latin abduction, abdomen of or relating to the abdomen Latin , abdomen, fat around the belly abdominoplasty pertaining to; one afflicted with Greek () cardiac, celiac thorn or spine Greek (), thorn acanthocyte, acanthoma of or relating to hearing Greek (), (), of or for hearing acoustician extremity, topmost Greek (), highest or farthest point acromegaly, acroosteolysis, acrosome hearing Greek (), of or for hearing hyperacusis toward, in the direction of Latin , toward, to dorsad, ventrad at, increase, on, toward Latin , to adduction of or relating to a gland Greek , , (), an acorn; a gland adenocarcinoma, adenology of or relating to fat or fatty tissue Latin , , fat adipocyte of or relating to the adrenal glands Latin + , kidneys adrenal artery, adrenaline, adrenochrome , , (BrE) blood condition Greek (), without blood anaemia air, gas Greek , ἀέρος () aerosinusitis, aerophagia (BrE) sensation Greek () anaesthesia pertaining to Latin abdominal, femoral denoting a white or pale color Latin albus, white albino, tunica albuginea pain Greek () analgesic , , pain Greek myalgia denoting something as different, or as an addition Greek (), another, other alloantigen, allopathy denoting something as positioned on both sides; describing both of two Latin , , both, on both sides ambidextrous Pertaining to the membranous fetal sac (amnion) Greek () amniocentesis on both sides Greek () amphismela, amphiarthrosis starchy, carbohydrate-related Latin , starch amylase, amylophagia not, without (alpha privative) Greek analgesia back, again, up Greek () anaplasia anus Latin anal pertaining to a man Greek , (), male android, andrology, androgen blood vessel Greek () angiogram, angioplasty describing something as unequal Greek (), unequal anisocytosis, anisotropic , denoting something as crooked or bent Greek (), crooked, curved ankylosis describing something as positioned in front of another thing Latin , before, in front of antepartum human Greek (), human anthropology describing something as 'against' or 'opposed to' another Greek (), against antibody, antipsychotic away, separated from, derived from Greek () apoptosis, apocrine first, primitive Greek () archinephros of or pertaining to a male; masculine Greek () arsenoblast of or pertaining to an artery Greek (), a wind-pipe, artery (used distinctly versus a vein) arteriole of or pertaining to the joints, limbs Greek (), a joint, limb arthritis joint Latin articulation pertaining to Latin biliary tract, coronary enzyme from Greek ( (, part, apart) + (, stand)), division lactase weakness Greek (), sick, weak myasthenia gravis imperfect or incomplete development Greek (), without end, incomplete atelectasis fatty deposit, soft gruel-like deposit () atherosclerosis process Latin medication, eburnation an atrium (esp. heart atrium) Latin atrioventricular of or pertaining to the ear Latin , the ear aural self Greek , αὐτο- () autoimmune, autophagy increase; growth Greek , αὔξω () auxotrophy, auxology of or pertaining to the armpit (uncommon as a prefix) Latin , armpit axilla nitrogenous compound French , nitrogen; from Greek () (, no, without) + (, life)), mephitic air azotemia
B
Affix Meaning Origin language and etymology Example(s) rod-shaped, typically referring to Bacillus spp. Latin , stick bacillomycin Pertaining to bacteria Latin ; Greek (), small staff bacteriophage, bactericide of the glans penis or glans clitoridis Greek (), acorn, glans balanitis of or pertaining to base Greek (), foundation, base basolateral twice, double Latin binary vision, bicycle, bisexual life Greek () biology, biological germinate or bud Greek () blastomere of or pertaining to the eyelid Greek (), eyelid blepharoplasty of or relating to the arm Latin , from Greek (), arm brachium of inferior colliculus indicating 'short' or less commonly 'little' Greek (), short, little, shallow brachycephalic slow Greek (), slow bradycardia, bradyzoite of or relating to the bronchus Latin ; Greek (), windpipe bronchitis, bronchiolitis obliterans of or pertaining to the cheek Latin , cheek buccolabial bursa (fluid sac between the bones) Latin , purse; Greek (), hide, wine-skin bursa, bursitis
C Affix Meaning Origin language and etymology Example(s) of or pertaining to hair Latin , hair capillus pertaining to the head as a whole Latin , , the head capitation, decapitation cancer Greek (), crab carcinoma of or pertaining to the heart Greek (), heart cardiology of or pertaining to the wrist Latin < Greek (), wrist; NOTE: This root should not be confused with the mirror root carp(o)- meaning fruit. carpal, carpopedal spasm, metacarpal down, under Greek () catabolism, catacombs, cataract pouching, hernia Greek () hydrocele, varicocele surgical puncture for aspiration Greek κέντησις () amniocentesis, thoracentesis of or pertaining to the head (as a whole) Greek (), the head cephalalgia, hydrocephalus of or pertaining to the cornu; a horn Greek , (), a horn ceratoid of or pertaining to the cerebellum Latin , little brain cerebellum of or pertaining to the brain Latin , brain cerebrology of or pertaining to the neck or the cervix Latin , ), neck, cervix cervical vertebrae, cervicodorsal of or pertaining to the lips Greek (), lip, mouth, beak angular cheilitis chemistry, drug Greek () chemical, chemistry, chemotherapy , of or pertaining to the hand Greek , (), hand chiropractor denoting a green color Greek (), green, yellow-green chlorophyll , of or pertaining to bile Greek (), bile cholaemia (UK) / cholemia (US), cholecystitis of or pertaining to the gallbladder Greek (), gallbladder < (), bile, gall + (), bladder cholecystectomy , cartilage, gristle, granule, granular Greek (khondrós) chondrocalcinosis color Greek () hemochromatosis , killing, destroying Latin , cutter, killer bacteriocidal, suicide, suicidal of or pertaining to the cilia, the eyelashes; eyelids Latin , eyelash; eyelid ciliary denoting something as 'around' another Latin , around circumcision on this side Latin cisgender break Greek (), broken osteoclast spindle Greek (), spindle, thread Clostridium with, together, in association Latin coenzymes, co-organization , round, spherical Greek (), berry, seed Streptococcus , , colon Greek () colonoscopy of or pertaining to the vagina Greek (), bosom, womb; hollow, depth colposcopy with, together Latin communicate against Latin contraindication with, together Latin corrective of or pertaining to the eye's pupil Greek (), girl, doll; pupil of the eye corectomy of or pertaining to the heart (uncommon as a prefix) Latin , heart commotio cordis, applied to describing processes and parts of the body as likened or similar to horns Latin , horn greater cornu pertaining to the heart Latin coronary heart disease cortex, outer region Latin , bark of a tree corticosteroid of or pertaining to the ribs Latin , rib costochondral of or relating to the hip, haunch, or hip-joint Latin , hip coxopodite belonging or relating to the cranium Latin , from Greek (), cranium, skull, bones enclosing the brain craniology , to secrete Greek (), separate, divide, discern endocrine cold Greek (), cold, frost cryoablation, cryogenic skin Latin subcutaneous having a blue color Greek , (, blue, of the color blue) cyanopsia, cyanosis circle, cycle Greek () cyclosis, cyclops, tricycle denotes something as bent (uncommon as a prefix) Greek (), bent, hunchback cyphosis , of or pertaining to the urinary bladder Greek (), bladder, cyst cystostomycotr(o)-, cin-yellow bloodGreek, (ko), yellow, (tro, cin), bloodcotrocyte, cinostomy , cell Greek (), a hollow, vessel cytokine, leukocyte, cytoplasm
D
Affix Meaning Origin language and etymology Example(s) of or pertaining to tears Greek , tear dacryoadenitis, dacryocystitis of or pertaining to a finger, toe Greek (), finger, toe dactylology, polydactyly from, down, or away from Latin dehydrate, demonetize, demotion of or pertaining to teeth Latin , , tooth dentifrice, dentist, dentition, dental , of or pertaining to the skin Greek (), skin, human skin dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic, xeroderma binding Greek () arthrodesis right, on the right side Latin dextrocardia two Greek diplopia, , , apart, separation, taking apart Latin , , dilation, distal, dilute, different, dissection through, during, across Greek (), through, during, across dialysis of or pertaining to the finger [rare as a root] Latin , finger, toe digit twofold Greek () diploid, diplosis (condition of) thirst Greek () dipsomania, hydroadipsia, oligodipsia, polydipsia , of or pertaining to the back Latin , back dorsal, dorsocephalad , running, conduction, course Greek () dromotropic, syndrome twelve Latin duodenal atresia, duodenum hard Latin dura mater force, energy, power Greek () hand strength dynamometer, dynamics pain Greek () vulvodynia bad, difficult, defective, abnormal Greek () dysentery, dysphagia, dysphasia
E
Affix Meaning Origin language and etymology Example(s) (see -al) pertaining to English -al, from Latin adenohypophyseal, corneal, esophageal, perineal out, away Greek (), out of, from ectopia, ectopic pregnancy outer, outside Greek () ectoblast, ectoderm, ectoplasm , expansion, dilation Greek () bronchiectasis, telangiectasia denotes a surgical operation or removal of a body part; resection, excision Greek (), excision mastectomy swelling Greek (), swelling lymphedema, lipedema vomiting condition Greek () hematemesis blood condition (Am. Engl.) Greek (), "blood" anemia of or pertaining to the brain; see also cerebro- Greek (), the brain encephalogram denotes something as inside or within Greek (), inside, internal endocrinology, endospore, endoskeleton having a red color Greek (), dawn, daybreak, morning red, goddess of the dawn (, ) eosinophil granulocyte of or pertaining to the intestine Greek (), intestine gastroenterology on, upon Greek (), before, upon, on, outside, outside of epicardium, epidermis, epidural, episclera, epistaxis, epidemic of or pertaining to the pubic region, the loins Greek (), the pubic area, loins; vulva episiotomy having a red color Greek (), red erythrocyte , gullet (AmE) Greek () esophagus sensation (AmE) Greek (), to perceive esthesioneuroblastoma, esthesia true, good, well, normal () eukaryote, euglycemia out of, away from, to remove Latin excision, exsanguination denotes something as "outside" another Greek (), outside of, external exophthalmos, exoskeleton, exoplanet outside Latin , outside of, beyond extradural hematoma extraordinary
F Affix Meaning Origin language and etymology Example(s) of or pertaining to the face Latin , the face, countenance faciocardiorenal syndrome, facial fiber Latin , fiber, filament, entrails fibril, fibrin, fibrinous pericarditis, fibroblast, fibrosis fine, hair-like Latin , thread myofilament, filum terminale hole, opening, or aperture, particularly in bone Latin foraminotomy used to form adjectives indicating "having the form of" Latin , form, shape cruciform, cuneiform, falciform before or ahead Old English , before, in front of foregut of or pertaining to the forehead Latin , , the forehead frontotemporal dementia
G