1. Chapter 4
Objectives
Define basic prefixes used in the medical language
Analyze medical terms that combine prefixes & other word elements
Learn about the Rh as an example of an antigen- antibody reaction.

2. Prefixes
Chapter 4
Pages 109 – 138

3. Page 110
Combining Forms
Meaning
carp/o cis/o cost/o cutane/o dactyl/o duct/o flex/o gloss/o glyc/o immun/o morph/o
wrist bones
to cut
rib
skin
fingers, toes
to lead, carry
to bend
tongue
sugar
protection
shape, form

4. Combining Forms (Cont’d)
Page 110
Combining Forms (Cont’d)
Meaning
mort/o nat/i norm/o ox/o pub/o seps/o somn/o son/o the/o thel/o, theli/o
death
birth
rule, order
oxygen
pubis; anterior portion of pelvic or hipbone
infection
sleep
sound
to put, place
nipple

5. Combining Forms (Cont’d)
Page 110
Combining Forms (Cont’d)
Meaning
thyr/o top/o tox/o trache/o urethr/o
thyroid gland; shield
place, position, location
poison
windpipe, trachea
urethra

6. Page 111
Suffixes
Meaning
-blast -crine -drome -fusion -gea -lapse -lysis -meter -mission -or -oxia
embryonic, immature
to secrete
to run
coming together; to pour
substance that produces
to slide, fall, sag
breakdown, destruction, separation
to measure
to send
one who
oxygen

7. Suffixes (Cont’d) Page 111
Meaning
-partum -phoria -physis -plasia -plasm -pnea -ptosis -rrhea -stasis -trophy
birth, labor
to bear, carry; feeling
to grow
development, formation, growth
structure or formation
breathing
falling, dropping, prolapse
flow, discharge
stopping, controlling
development, nourishment

8. Prefixes Pages 111 – 113 a-, an- ab- ad- ana- ante- anti- auto- bi-
Prefix Meaning Example
a-, an- ab- ad- ana- ante- anti- auto- bi-
no, not, without
away from
toward
up, apart
before, forward
against
self, own
two
apnea, anoxia
abnormal, abductor
adductor, adrenal glands
anabolism, analysis
ante cibum, anteflexion, antepartum
antibiotic, antibody, antigen, antisepsis, antitoxin
autoimmune disease
bifurcation, bilateral
APNEA (ĂP-nē-ă or ăp-NĒ-ă) Without breathing
ANOXIA (ă-NŎK-sē-ă) Without oxygen
ABNORMAL (ăb-NŌR-măl) Pertaining to away from the norm
ABDUCTOR (ăb-DŬK-tŏr) A muscle that draws a limb away from the body. HINT: Notice that in abductor, the b faces away from the a.
ADDUCTOR (ă-DŬK-tŏr) A muscle that draws a limb toward the body. HINT: Notice that in adductor, the d faces toward the a. ADRENAL GLANDS (ă-DRĒ-năl glăndz) These endocrine glands are found above the kidney. See Figure 4-1.
ANABOLISM (ă-NĂ-bō-lĭzm) Process of building up proteins in cells
ANALYSIS (ă-NĂL-ĭ-sĭs) Separation of a substance into various parts
– Urinalysis (urin/o + [an]/alysis) is a laboratory examination of urine that aids in the diagnosis of many medical conditions. In this term, -lysis means separation.
ANTE CIBUM (ĂN-tē SĒ-bŭm) Before meals – The word cibum means meals. The notation a.c., seen on prescription orders, means before meals. You can guess that p.c. means after (post) meals. ANTEFLEXION (ăn-tē-FLĔK-shŭn) Bending forward
  ANTEPARTUM (ăn-tē-PĂR-tŭm) Before birth
ANTIBIOTIC (ăn-tĭ-bī-ŎT-ĭk) Against life (germ life); antibiotics are drugs given to destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria
– Penicillin was the first antibiotic discovered in immature plants called molds, and was in widespread use by the 1940s. In early 2015, a new antibiotic called teixobactin was discovered. It has shown activity against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. ANTIBODY (ĂN-tĭ-bŏd-ē) Proteins made by white blood cells to destroy antigens
ANTIGEN (ĂN-tĭ-jĕn) Substance (protein) that stimulates the production of antibodies ANTISEPSIS (ăn-tĭ-SĔP-sĭs) Destruction of microorganisms to prevent infection – An antiseptic (-sis changes to -tic to form an adjective) substance fights infection. ANTITOXIN (ăn-tĭ-TŎK-sĭn) This is an antibody, often from an animal (such as a horse), that acts against a toxin. An example is tetanus antitoxin given against tetanus, an acute bacterial infection of the nervous system.
AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE (ăw-tō-ĭ-MŪN dĭ-ZĒZ) Antibodies that are produced against an individual's own normal cells
BIFURCATION (bī-fŭr-KĀ-shŭn) Branching or forking into two parts – The root furc means branching or forking. BILATERAL (bī-LĂT-ĕr-ăl) Pertaining to both or two sides

9. Prefixes (Cont’d) Page 113 brady- cata- con- slow down with, together
Prefix Meaning Example
brady- cata- con-
slow
down
with, together
bradycardia
catabolism
congenital anomaly, connective tissue
BRADYCARDIA (brăd-ē-KĂR-dē-ă) Slow heart beat, usually less than 60 beats per minute – Tachycardia (tachy- means fast) is a pulse of more than 100 beats per minute.
catabolism (kă-TĂB-ō-lĭzm) Process of casting down materials (sugar) to release energy in cells
CONGENITAL ANOMALY (kŏn-JĔN-ĭ-tăl ă-NŎM-ă-lē) an irregularity in a structure or organ that an infant is born with; birth defect. Some are caused by hereditary (passed to the infant through chromosomes from the father or mother, or both), others are produced by factors present during pregnancy.
EXAMPLES: Heart defects; clubbed feet (Picture A) and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (picture B)- Distinctive facial features, learning disabilities, bone and joint deformities, heart defects, and hyperactivity are some symptoms.
CONNECTIVE TISSUE (kŏn-NĔK-tĭv TĬ-shū) Tissue that supports and binds other tissues and body parts; examples are bones, cartilage, muscle, or fibrous tissues – The root nect means to tie or bind.

10. Prefixes (Cont’d) Pages 114 – 115 contra- de- dia- dys- ec- endo-
Prefix Meaning Example
contra- de- dia- dys- ec- endo-
against, opposite
down, lack of
through, complete
bad, painful, difficult, abnormal
out, outside
in, within
contraindication, contralateral
dehydration
diameter, diarrhea, dialysis
dyspnea, dysentery, dysplasia
ectopic pregnancy
endocardium, endoscope, endotracheal
CONTRAINDICATION (kŏn-tră-ĭn-dĭ-KĀ-shŭn) A factor that prohibits the administration of a drug or procedure in the care of a patient – Contra- means against in this term. CONTRALATERAL (kŏn-tră-LĂT-ĕr-ăl) Affecting the opposite side of a part of the body – Contra- means opposite in this term. A stroke affecting the right side of the brain may cause contralateral paralysis affecting the left arm and leg. The opposite of contralateral is ipsilateral. (ipsi- means same).
DEHYDRATION (dē-hī-DRĀ-shŭn) Excessive loss of water
DIAMETER (dī-ĂM-ĭ-tĕr) Distance between opposite parts on the circumference of a structure
DIARRHEA (dī-ă-RĒ-ă) Diarrhea is the frequent passage of watery, loose stools
DIALYSIS (dī-ĂL-ĭ-sĭs) Separation of nitrogenous wastes from the blood when the kidneys no longer function – Literal meaning is complete (dia-) separation (-lysis). In hemodialysis, waste materials are separated from the blood via a machine (artificial kidney) when the kidneys no longer function. See Figure 7-15 for an illustration of hemodialysis.
DYSPNEA (DĬSP-nē-ă or dĭsp-NĒ-ă) Difficult breathing – Often caused by respiratory or cardiac conditions, strenuous exercise, or anxiety. DYSENTERY (DĬS-ĕn-tĕ-rē) Inflammation of the intestine causing diarrhea with blood
DYSPLASIA (dĭs-PLĀ-zē-ă) Condition of abnormal formation  
ECTOPIC PREGNANCY (ĕk-TŎP-ĭk PRĔG-năn-sē) A pregnancy that is outside the uterus. See Figure 4-2.
ENDOCARDIUM (ĕn-dō-KĂR-dē-ŭm) The inner lining of the heart
ENDOSCOPE (ĔN-dō-skōp) Instrument to visually examine within the body; bronchoscope
ENDOTRACHEAL (ĕn-dō-TRĀ-kē-ăl) Pertaining to within the trachea – An endotracheal tube, placed through the mouth into the trachea, is used for giving oxygen and in general anesthesia procedures.

11. Prefixes (Cont’d) Pages 115 – 116
Prefix Meaning Example
epi- eu- ex- hemi- hyper- hypo- in- infra-
upon, on, above
good, normal
out, outside
half
excessive, above
deficient, under
not
into, within
beneath, under
epithelium
euphoria, euthyroid
exophthalmos
hemiglossectomy
hyperglycemia, hyperplasia, hypertrophy
hypodermic injection, hypoglycemia
insomniac
incision
infracostal
EPITHELIUM (ĕp-ĭ-THĒ-lē-ŭm) Layer of cells covering the external surface of the body and lining the hollow tubes within the body
EUPHORIA (ū-FŎR-ē-ă) Condition of exaggerated well-being (''good feeling'')
EUTHYROID (ū-THĪ-royd) Normal thyroid function
EXOPHTHALMOS (ĕk-sŏf-THĂL-mŏs) Eyeballs that protrude from their sockets; associated with hyperthyroidism; also called proptosis (pro- = forward, -ptosis = prolapse).
HEMIGLOSSECTOMY (hĕm-ē-glŏs-SĔK-tō-mē) Removal (resection) of half the tongue
HYPERGLYCEMIA (hī-pĕr-glī-SĒ-mē-ă) Condition of excessive or high blood pressure; indicator of diabetes mellitus
HYPERPLASIA (hī-pĕr-PLĀ-zē-ă) Condition of increased formation of cells – It is a characteristic of tumor growth. HYPERTROPHY (hī-PĔR-trō-fē)– Increase in size of individual cells. Muscle, cardiac, and renal cells exhibit hypertrophy when workload is increased.
HYPODERMIC INJECTION (hī-pō-DĔR-mĭk ĭn-JĔK-shŭn) Placement of a needle below the skin
HYPOGLYCEMIA (hī-pō-glī-SĒ-mē-ă) Condition of decreased sugar in the blood; low blood sugar
INSOMNIAC (ĭn-SŎM-nē-ăk) Pertaining to without sleep; an insomniac is a person who cannot sleep
INCISION (ĭn-SĬZ-Ŏn) Process of cutting into; sectioning
INFRACOSTAL (ĭn-fră-KŎS-tăl) Pertaining to below the ribs

12. Prefixes (Cont’d) Pages 116 – 117
Prefix Meaning Example
inter- intra- macro- mal- meta- micro-neo- pan- para-
between
in, within, into
large
bad
beyond, change
small
new
all
abnormal, beside, near
intercostal
intravenous
macrocephaly
malaise, malignant
metacarpal bones, metamorphosis, metastasis
microscope
neonatal, neoplasm
pancytopenia
paralysis, parathyroid glands
INTERCOSTAL (ĭn-tĕr-KŎS-tăl) Pertaining to between the ribs – Intercostal muscles lie between adjacent ribs.
INTRAVENOUS (ĭn-tră-VĒ-nŭs) Pertaining to within a vein
MACROCEPHALY (măk-rō-SĔF-ă-lē) Condition of a larger than normal head – This is a congenital anomaly.
MALAISE (măl-ĀZ) General feeling of bodily discomfort – This is a French word meaning discomfort. It is a symptom of illness often marking the onset of a disease. MALIGNANT (mă-LĬG-nănt) Cancerous; harmful – From the Latin ignis, meaning fire. BENIGN (bē-NĪN) (ben- = good) is noncancerous.
METACARPAL BONES (mĕ-tă-KĂR-păl bōnz) The five hand bones lie beyond the wrist bones but before the finger bones (phalanges). METAMORPHOSIS (mĕt-ă-MŎR-fŏ-sĭs) Condition of change of shape or form – Meta- means change in this term. EXAMPLES:The change in development from the larval (caterpillar) stage to the adult (butterfly). Embryonic (immature) stem cells spontaneously change to form different types of mature cells. METASTASIS (mĕ-TĂS-tă-sĭs) Spread of a malignant tumor beyond its original location to a distant site – Meta- = beyond & -stasis = controlling, stopping.
MICROSCOPE (MĪ-krō-skōp) Instrument to view small projects
NEONATAL (nē-ō-NĀ-tăl) Pertaining to a newborn infant [birth to 28 days] NEOPLASM (NĒ-ō-plăzm) New growth [may be benign or malignant]
PANCYTOPENIA (păn-sī-tō-PĒ-nē-ă) Deficiency of all blood cells [erythrocytes, leukocytes, and thrombocytes]
PARALYSIS (pă-RĂL-ĭ-sĭs) Destruction of nerve tissue leading to loss of sensation or motion in a part of the body – (occurring in stroke patients). PARATHYROID GLANDS (păr-ă-THĪ-royd glănz) Four endocrine glands on the posterior (dorsal) region of the thyroid gland. They secrete a hormone that regulates the calcium levels in blood and tissues. – Para- means beside.

13. Prefixes (Cont’d) Pages 117 – 118
Prefix Meaning Example
per- peri- poly- post- pre- pro-, pros- re- retro-
through
surrounding
many, much
after, behind
before, in front of
before, forward
back, again
behind, backward
percutaneous
pericardium, periosteum
polymorphonuclear, polyneuritis
postmortem, postpartum
precancerous, prenatal
prodrome, prolapse, prosthesis
relapse, remission, recombinant DNA
retroperitoneal, retroflexion
PERCUTANEOUS (pĕr-kū-TĀ-nē-ŭs) Pertaining to through the skin
PERICARDIUM (pĕ-rē-KAR-dē-ŭm) Membrane surrounding the heart
PERIOSTEUM (pĕr-ē-ŎS-tē-ŭm) Membrane surrounding a bone
POLYMORPHONUCLEAR (pŏl-ĕ-mŏr-fō-NŪ-klē-ăr) Pertaining to a nucleus with several or many shapes; polymorphonuclear leukocytes are white blood cells with a multilobed nucleus
POLYNEURITIS (pŏl-ē-nū-RĪ-tĭs) Inflammation of many nerves
POSTMORTEM (pōst-MŎR-tĕm) After death
POSTPARTUM (pōst-PĂR-tŭm) After birth
PRECANCEROUS (prē-KĂN-sĕr-ŭs) Pertaining to occurring before a malignant condition
PRENATAL (prē-NĀ-tăl) Pertaining to before birth
PRODROME (PRŌ-drōm) Symptom that appears before the onset of a more serious an illness; an example of a prodrome is an altered mood, fatigue, flashes of light, or stiff muscles may accompany the prodromal migraine aura that occurs before the actual headache. PROLAPSE (PRŌ-lăps) Sliding forward or downward – The suffix -lapse means to slide, sag, or fall. See Figure 4-3.
PROSTHESIS (prŏs-THĒ-sĭs) Artificial limb. Figure 4-4 shows Amy Palmiero-Winters running with a prosthetic leg.
RELAPSE (RĒ-lăps) recurrence of symptoms or decline after apparent recovery. REMISSION (rē-MĬ-shŭn) disappearance of disease symptoms – Signs and symptoms lessen and the patient feels better. Remission may be spontaneous or the result of treatment. In some cases, a permanent remission means the disease is cured. RECOMBINANT DNA (rē-KŎM-bĭ-nănt DNA) Insertion of a gene (region of DNA) from an organism into the DNA of another organism – Genetic engineering uses recombinant DNA techniques. EXAMPLE: The gene that codes for insulin is cut out of a human chromosome & transferred into a bacterium, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli). The bacterium then contains the gene for making human insulin &, because it multiplies very rapidly, can produce insulin in large quantities. Diabetic patients, unable to make their own insulin, can use this synthetic product.
RETROPERITONEAL (rĕt-rō-pĕr-ĭ-tō-NĒ-ăl) Pertaining to behind the peritoneum (membrane surrounding the abdominal cavity)
RETROFLEXION (rĕt-rō-FLĔK-shŭn) Bending backward – An abnormal position of an organ, such as the uterus, bent or tilted backward.

14. Prefixes (Cont’d) Pages 118 – 120 sub- supra- syn-, sym- tachy- under
Prefix Meaning Example
sub- supra- syn-, sym- tachy-
under
above, upper
together, with
fast
subcutaneous
suprapubic
syndactyly, synthesis, syndrome, symbiosis, symmetry, symptom, symphysis
tachypnea
SUBCUTANEOUS (sŭb-kū-TĀ-nē-ŭs) Pertaining to under the skin
SUPRAPUBIC (sū-pră-PŪ-bĭk) Pertaining to above the pelvic bone – The pubis is one of a pair of pubic bones that forms the anterior part of the pelvic (hip) bone. Pubic bones are pictured in Figure 4-6.
SYNDACTYLY (sĭn-DĂK-tĭ-lē) Fusion of fingers or toes; a congenital anomaly – See Figure 4-5. SYNTHESIS (SĬN-thĕ-sĭs) Literally, to put (-thesis) together (syn-) – In protein synthesis, complex proteins are built up from simpler amino acids. SYNDROME (SĬN-drōm) Group of symptoms that occur together indicating a particular abnormal condition, disorder or disease. EXAMPLE: Reye syndrome = characterized by vomiting, swelling of the brain, increased intracranial pressure, hypoglycemia, and dysfunction of the liver; may occur in children after a viral infection that has been treated with aspirin.
SYMBIOSIS (sĭm-bē-Ō-sĭs) Close association between organisms of different species; of a state in which two people are emotionally dependent on each other
SYMMETRY (SĬM-mĕ-trē) Equality of parts on opposite sides of the body. What is asymmetry? SYMPHYSIS (SĬM-fĭ-sĭs) Literally, to grow together – A symphysis is a joint in which the bony surfaces are firmly united by a layer of fibrocartilage. See Figure 4-6.
TACHYPNEA (tă-KĬP-nē-ă or tăk-ĭp-NĒ-ă) Rapid breathing

15. Prefixes (Cont’d) Pages 118 – 120 trans- ultra- uni- across, through
Prefix Meaning Example
trans- ultra- uni-
across, through
beyond, excess
one
transfusion, transurethral
ultrasonography
unilateral
TRANSFUSION (trăns-FŪ-zhŭn) Literally, to pour (-fusion) across (trans-); transference of blood from person to another
TRANSURETHRAL (trăns-ū-RĒ-thrăl) Pertaining to across or through the urethra – resection of the prostate gland (TURP) = a portion of the prostate gland is removed with an instrument passed through the urethra. The procedure is indicated when prostatic tissue increases and interferes with urination.
ULTRASONOGRAPHY (ŭl-tră-sŏ-NŎG-ră-fē) The prefix ultra- means beyond or excessive; sonography is the process of recording sound waves; ultrasonography is the use of high frequency sound waves that are beyond the range of normal hearing to produce a record or picture of an organ or tissue. EXAMPLES: Echocardiograms = ultrasound images of the heart & Sonogram = Fetal ultrasound image (Notice the facial features in the ultrasound image.)
UNILATERAL (ū-nē-LĂT-ĕr-ăl) Pertaining to one side