Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Chapter 3: Prefixes

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Chapter Objectives What is a prefix and how prefixes are used. Some of the prefixes used in medical terminology. Using prefixes to form words used in medical terminology.

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes Prefix = short word part added before a word root to modify the meaning –Uni- (one) + lateral = unilateral (affecting or involving one side) –Contra- (against) + lateral = contralateral (opposite side)

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Numbers PrefixMeaningExample prim/i-firstprimaryfirst mon/o-onemonocularhaving one eyepiece or affecting one eye uni-oneuniteform into one part hemi-half; one sidehemisphereone half of a rounded structure semi-half; partialsemipermeablepartially permeable (capable of being penetrated) bi-two, twicebinarymade up of two parts di-two, twicediatomichaving two atoms

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Numbers (cont’d) PrefixMeaningExample dipl/o-doublediplococciround bacteria (cocci) that grow in groups of two tri-threetricuspidhaving three points or cusps quadr/i-fourquadrupletone of four babies born together tetra-fourtetralogya group of four multi-manymulticellularconsisting of many cells poly-many, muchpolymorphoushaving many forms (morph/o)

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Colors PrefixMeaningExample cyan/o-bluecyanosisbluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen erythr/o-rederythrocytered blood cell (-cyte) leuk/o-white, colorlessleukemiacancer of white blood cells melan/o-black, darkmelaninthe dark pigment that colors the hair and skin xanth/o-yellowxanthomayellow growth (-oma) on the skin

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Negative Prefixes PrefixMeaningExample a-, an-not, without, lack of, absence anhydrouslacking water (hydr/o) anti-againstantisepticagent use to prevent infection (sepsis) contra-against, oppositecontraindicatedagainst recommendations; not advisable de-down, without, removal, loss decalcifyremove calcium (calc/i) from

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Negative Prefixes (cont’d) PrefixMeaningExample dis-absence, removal, separation dissectto separate tissues for anatomical study in-*, im- (used before b, m, p) notincontinentnot able to contain or control discharge of excretions non-notnoncontributorynot significant; not adding information to a medical diagnosis un-notuncoordinatednot working together; not coordinated *May also mean “in” or “into” as in inject, inhale.

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Direction PrefixMeaningExampleDefinition of Example ab-away fromabductto move away from the midline ad-toward; nearadductto move toward the midline dia-throughdiarrheafrequent discharge of fluid fecal matter per-throughpercutaneousthrough the skin trans-throughtransfusionintroduction of blood or blood components into the bloodstream

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Degree PrefixMeaningExampleDefinition of Example hyper-over, excess, abnormally high, increased hyperglycemiahigh blood sugar (glyc/o) hypo-*under, below, abnormally low, decreased hypotensionlow blood pressure olig/o-few, scantyoligospermiaabnormally low number of sperm cells in semen pan-allpandemicdisease affecting an entire population super-*above, excesssupernumeraryin excess number *May also show position, as in hypodermic, superficial.

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Size and Comparison PrefixMeaningExampleDefinition of Example equi-equal, sameequilibriuma state of balance; state in which conditions remain the same eu-true, good, easy, normal euthanasiaeasy or painless death (thanat/o) hetero-other, different, unequal heterogeneouscomposed of different materials; not uniform homo, homeo- same, unchanging homografttissue transplanted to another of the same species iso-equal, sameisocellularcomposed of similar cells macro-large, abnormally large macroscopiclarge enough to been seen without a microscope

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Size and Comparison (cont’d) PrefixMeaningExampleDefinition of Example mega-*, megalo- large; abnormally large megacolonenlargement of the colon micro-*smallmicrocytevery small cell (-cyte) neo-newneonatea newborn infant normo-normalnormovolemianormal blood volume ortho-straight, correct, upright orthodonticsbranch of dentistry concerned with correction and straightening of the teeth (odont/o) *Mega- also means 1 million, as in megahertz. Micro- also means 1 millionth, as in microsecond.

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Size and Comparison (cont’d) PrefixMeaningExampleDefinition of Example poikilo-varied; irregularpoikilothermichaving variable body temperature (therm/o) pseudo-falsepseudoplegiafalse paralysis (-plegia) re-again; backrefluxbackward flow

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Time and/or Position PrefixMeaningExampleDefinition of Example ante-beforeantenatalbefore birth (nat/i) pre-before, in front ofprematureoccurring before the proper time pro-before, in front ofprodromesymptom that precedes a disease post-after, behindpostnasalbehind the nose (nas/o)

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Position PrefixMeaningExampleDefinition of Example dextr/o-rightdextrogastriadisplacement of the stomach (gastr/o) to the right sinistr/o-leftsinistromanualleft-handed ec-, ecto-out; outsideectopicout of normal position ex/o-away from; outside exciseto cut out

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Prefixes for Position (cont’d) PrefixMeaningExampleDefinition of Example end/o-in; withinendoderminner layer of a developing embryo mes/o-middlemesencephalonmiddle portion of the brain (encephalon); midbrain syn-, sym- (used before b, m, p,) togethersynapsea junction between two nerve cells tel/e-, tel/o-endtelophasethe last stage of cell division (mitosis)

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 1.A word prefix appears: (a) in the middle of the word (b) at the beginning of the word (c) at the end of the word (d) at the beginning of the word

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 1.A word prefix appears: (a) in the middle of the word (b) at the beginning of the word (c) at the end of the word (d) at the beginning of the word

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 2.The prefix in the words prefix and pretest means: (a) before (b) final (c) fixed (d) superior

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 2.The prefix in the words prefix and pretest means: (a) before (b) final (c) fixed (d) superior

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 3.The prefix in the word microscopic is: (a) mic- (b) scop- (c) micro- (d) pic-

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 3.The prefix in the word microscopic is: (a) mic- (b) scop- (c) micro- (d) pic-

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 4.The suffix in the word microscopic is: (a) –ic (b) scop- (c) micro- (d) –ros

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 4.The suffix in the word microscopic is: (a) –ic (b) scop- (c) micro- (d) –ros

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 5.The prefixes mono-, tri-, and multi- all refer to: (a) size (b) number (c) location (d) shape

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 5.The prefixes mono-, tri-, and multi- all refer to: (a) size (b) number (c) location (d) shape

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 6.The prefixes leuk/o-, melan/o-, and erythr/o- all refer to: (a) dimensions (b) area (c) abnormalities (d) color

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 6.The prefixes leuk/o-, melan/o-, and erythr/o- all refer to: (a) dimensions (b) area (c) abnormalities (d) color

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 7.The opposite of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is: (a) hyperglucemia (b) hypoglycemia (c) hypoalcemia (d) hyperglycemic

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 7.The opposite of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is: (a) hyperglucemia (b) hypoglycemia (c) hypoalcemia (d) hyperglycemic

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 8.The opposite of postnatal (after birth) is: (a) perinatal (b) prenatural (c) prenatal (d) postpartum

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Test 8.The opposite of postnatal (after birth) is: (a) perinatal (b) prenatural (c) prenatal (d) postpartum