Common prefixes, suffixes and roots

The terminology used in the book is easier to learn and use when it is understood. To facilitate this, the common parts of such
terms: prefixes (beginnings), roots (middle parts) and suffixes (endings), are listed here, in alphabetical order. Meanings are
also given, along with some examples of their uses.

Prefix/suffix/root To do with Examples in the text Prefix/suffix/root To do with Examples in the text

a-/an- lack of anuria, agranulocyte, -itis inflammation appendicitis, hepatitis,

asystole, anaemia cystitis, gastritis
-aemia of the blood anaemia, hypoxaemia, lact- milk lactation, lactic, lacteal
uraemia, hypovolaemia lymph- lymph tissue lymphocyte, lymphatic,
angio- vessel angiotensin, haemangioma lymphoedema
anti- against antidiuretic, anticoagulant, lyso-/-lysis breaking down lysosome, glycolysis,
antigen, antimicrobial lysozyme
-blast germ, bud reticuloblast, osteoblast -mega- large megaloblast, acromegaly,
brady- slow bradycardia splenomegaly, hepatomegaly
broncho- bronchus bronchiole, bronchitis, micro- small microbe, microtubules,
bronchus microvilli
card- heart cardiac, myocardium, myo- muscle myocardium, myoglobin,
tachycardia myopathy, myosin
chole- bile cholecystokinin, neo- new neoplasm, gluconeogenesis,
cholecystitis, cholangitis neonate
cyto-/-cyte cell erythrocyte, cytosol, nephro- kidney nephron, nephrotic,
cytoplasm, cytotoxic nephroblastoma, nephrosis
derm- skin dermatitis, dermatome, neuro- nerve neurone, neuralgia,
dermis neuropathy
dys- difficult dysuria, dyspnoea, -oid resembling myeloid, sesamoid, sigmoid
dysmenorrhoea, dysplasia -oma tumour carcinoma, melanoma,
-ema swelling oedema, emphysema, fibroma
lymphoedema -ophth- eye xerophthalmia,
endo- inner endocrine, endocytosis, ophthalmic, exophthalmos
endothelium -ory referring to secretory, sensory,
erythro- red erythrocyte, erythropoietin, auditory, gustatory
erythropoiesis osteo- bone osteocyte, osteoarthritis,
exo- outside exocytosis, exophthalmos osteoporosis
extra- outside extracellular, extrapyramidal -path- disease pathogenesis, neuropathy,
-fferent carry afferent, efferent nephropathy
gast- stomach gastric, gastrin, gastritis, -plasm substance cytoplasm, neoplasm
gastrointestinal pneumo- lung/air pneumothorax, pneumonia,
-gen- origin/ gene, genome, genetic, pneumotoxic
production antigen, pathogen, poly- many polypeptide, polyuria.
allergen polycythaemia
-globin protein myoglobin, haemoglobin -rrhagia excessive flow menorrhagia
haem- blood haemostasis, haemorrhage, -rrhoea discharge dysmenorrhoea, diarrhoea,
haemolytic rhinorrhoea
-hydr- water dehydration, hydrostatic, sub- under subphrenic, subarachnoid,
hydrocephalus sublingual
hepat- liver hepatic, hepatitis, tachy- excessively fast tachycardia
hepatomegaly, hepatocyte thrombo- clot thrombocyte, thrombosis,
hyper- excess/above hypertension, thrombin, thrombus
hypertrophy, hypercapnia -tox- poison toxin, cytotoxic, hepatotoxic
hypo- below/under hypoglycaemia, hypotension, -uria urine anuria, polyuria, haematuria,
hypovolaemia nocturia
intra- within intracellular, intracranial, vas, vaso- vessel vasoconstriction, vas
intraocular deferens, vascular
-ism condition hyperthyroidism, dwarfism,
rheumatism