ABBREVIATIONS 



PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES USED IN MEDICAL TERMS. 



PREFIXES. 



A-, an-, called alpha privative (Gr. a, av, or ap.), the equiva- 

 lent of our prefix, «»■, or in-, denotes an absence or want 

 of the thing or quality expressed by the principal ; e. g., 

 adynamia, anaerobic, aphasia, apraxia, apyrexia, 

 astigmatism, atony, etc. a is used before consonants, 

 an before vowels, and, rarely, am before bl or br. (To 

 be distinguished from ana.) 



Ad- (ad), to, at, toward, as, adduction, adhesion. The d is 

 often changed in the compound to correspond to the next 

 letter, as accretion, appendix. 



Al-(Arab.) article the; e.g., alchemy, the secret art; alcohol, 

 the very subtle. 



Amphi- (or amph-) (kpsjti), upon both sides, in two ways, as in 

 amphiarthrosis, amphibia, etc. 



Ana- (dca). Up, through, again ; e. g., anabolism, anasarca, 

 anatomy, etc. 



Anti- (or ant-) (oVti). Against, opposed to, opposite of; as 

 antaphrodisiac, antibrachium, antipyretic, antiseptic, etc. 



Apo- (airo). Oft", away, upon ; e. g., aponeurosis, apoplexy, etc. 



Auto- (auTos). Self; as autopepsia, autopsy. 



Bary- (0aous). Heavy, difficult ; as barymezia, baryphonia, etc. 



Bi-, bin- (bis). Twice, twofold ; e. g., bicuspid, bivalent, binoc- 

 ular, binaural. 



Bio- (/3«k). Life, e.g., bioplasm, biology, biolysis. 



Brach- (jSpaxtW). Arm, pertaining to the arm ; as brachialgia, 

 brachioncus . 



Broncho- (/3pri-yx°s>- Pertaining to the trachea; as bronchor- 

 rhagia, bronchotomy. 



Cardi-, cardio- (/capSta). Pertaining to the heart, as cardio- 

 gram, cardialgia. 



Celio-, ccelio- (icoiAia). Pertaining to the belly, as celiotomy, 

 caliac. 



Chiro- (x €i p). The hand. Chiragra, chiropodist. 



Co-, con-. Together, along with ; e.g., coitus, congenital. 



Dacryo- (Sdicpvov). A tear, pertaining to a tear ; as dacryoid, 

 dacryo-cystitis. 



Dactyl- i'Sd.KTv\os). A finger ; pertaining to the fingers ; as 

 dactylitis, dactylion, dactylate. 



Dermo-, dermato- (Seppa). The skin ; pertaining to the skin ; 

 e g., dermotomy, dermatolysis. 



Di- (Sis). Twice, double ; as dimorphism, digastric. 



Dia- (Sia). Through. Examples: diabetes, diagnosis, dia- 

 phragm, diarrhea, etc. 



Dyn- (6tWp.i«). Force, power; dynamogeny, dynamograph. 



Dys- (Sv<;). Difficult, defective, painful; e.g., dysentery, dysp- 

 nea, dysuria. 



Ec-, ex-, ecto- («, e{, €<ctos). Out, outside, away from; as 

 in ecchymoses, ecdemic, eclampsia, exostosis, exanthema, 

 ectropion, ectoderm. 



En-, em- [b>, ip). In, within ; as in embryo, embolism, en- 

 demic, etc. 



Endo-. ento- (ivros). Within, internal; e. g., endarteritis, 

 endoscope, entoblast, ent optic. 



Entero- (.ivrtpov). The intestine ; as in enterocele, enter- 

 ostomy, etc. 



Epi- dpi). Upon, over, above; e. g., epiblast, epicranium, 

 epislaxis, epidemic, etc. 



Extra- (/.at.). Outside; e. g., extravasation, extroversion. 



Oalact- (ya\a). Milk : as galactocele ; galactozemia , galacluria. 



Gastro- (yaorfip). The stomach ; relation to the stomach ; 

 e -JT-< gastrocele, gastrocnemius , gastroenterostomy, etc. 



Genio- (ytvtlov). Pertaining to the chin ; e. g.,geniohvoglos- 

 sus, geniohyoid. 



Glosso- ( y\,„<T<jni. Pertaining to the tongue. See glossology, 

 glossoplegia, glossophytia. 



Ham*-, hicmato- or nemo- (aipa). The blood ; pertaining to 

 tin- blood. Sec henuitemesis, hematoma, hemorrhage, etc. 



Hemi- |^fi«-»j/ii<ru?). Half; as in hemiachromatopsia, hemi- 

 crania, hemiplegia. 



Hepat- (ijirap). Tne liver ; pertaining to the liver. See hepal- 

 rmphra ril, hepatization, hepatopostema. 



Hetera- (ir*ito%). Different; opposite; e.g., heteroinfection, 

 heternlngons, hetertipathv . 



Hydro-, hydr- (uSup). Water ; resembling or relating to water, 



dropsy, etc.; as in hydremia, hydragogue, hydrate, 



hydrocephalus, etc. 

 Hyper- (i'<n-rpi E* CM; exaggerated abnormality In amount, 



si/'-, duality, etc. See hyperesthesia, hvpermetropia, 



hvperpyrex in. hypertrophy, ami others 

 Hypno- (iinyof). Sleep. See hypnopathy, hypnotist! 

 Hypo- (inrn). Diminution as to decree, amount, size, quality, 



etc., or thai located under or beneath ; t. g.,hypoithenta, 



hypoblast . hypo, Imtidi ine, hypodermatic, hypOglOtiaL 

 Hyatera-, hyatero- (iia-ripa). The uterus or womb: relation 

 to III'- uterus : t. g., hysterotomy, hystei o epilepsy , 



kvsteroptxia, etc. 

 Ileo- (Ileum). Pertaining to the ileum- e.g., ileo-coliti 



typhus. 



Ilio- (Ilium). Pertaining to the ilium ; e.g., iliofemoral, ilio- 

 lumbar. 



Im-, in- (In). Privative, negative ; as imperforate, incarcer- 

 ation, insane, incontinence. 



In- (ev). In, within, upon, by; as incubation, infarction, in- 

 flammation, inoculation, etc. 



Infra- (Infra). Beneath, below; e. g., inframaxillary, in- 

 frascapular. 



Inter- (Inter). Between. See intercellular, intercostal, inter- 

 trigo, and others. 



Intra- (Intra). Within, inside of, as intra-ariicular, intra- 

 uterine. 



Iso- (io-os). Equal, like ; e.g., isometric, isothermal, isopathy. 



Kata-, kath- (nara). Down, through ; as katabolism , katatonia, 

 kathode. 



Leuko- (Aeuxds). Whiteness; e. g., leukemia, leukocyte, 

 leukomain, leukorrhea. 



Lith-, litho- (Ai0os). Pertaining to stone, calculus, or lithic 

 acid. See lithemia, lithiasis, lithotripsy, etc. 



Macro- (p.aicp6s). Largeness, hypertrophy ; as in macroglossia, 

 macromelia. 



Mai- (Malus). Bad ; as malformation, malpractice, malaria 



Melano- (pe\a<;). Blackness, pigmentation ; e. g., melancholia, 

 melano-sarcoma. 



Meso- (ixeaos). The middle ; e.g., mesoblast, mesocolon, etc. 



Meta- (ne-ra). With, after; e. g., metabolism, metatarsus. 



Micro- (/niKpos). Smallness ; e.g., micrococcus, microglossia, 

 microscope. 



Mon-, mono- (^6t>os). Singleness. For example, ?nonamin, 

 monomania, monorchis. 



Morpho- (nop4>ri). Shape, form ; e.g., morphography , morphol- 

 ogy, morphometry. 



Multi- (mult us). Number, many ; e. g., multilocular, multi- 

 parous. 



Myelo- (/uveAds). Referring to the brain or spinal cord ; as 

 myeloid, myelitis. 



Myo- (p.us). Pertaining to a muscle or to muscularity. See 

 myocarditis, myoma, myopathy. 



Neo- (v(os). New, recent, young ; as neogala, neo-membrane, 

 neoplasm. 



Nephr- (ve<j>pos). Pertaining to the kidney; e. g., nephra- 

 postasis, nephria, nephritis. 



Neuro- (vevpov). Relating to a nerve or to neurology. In the ori- 

 ginal Greek the word meant a cord or tendon,— neurosis, 

 the stringing of the bow. It is now applied only to 

 nerve-structure; as, e. g., neuralgia, neurasthenia, 

 neurilemma, neuroglia. 



Ob- (Ob). In front of, against, denoting hindrance or ob- 

 struction ; e. g., obstruent, obturator, occlusion, op- 

 ponens. 



Odonto- (oSous). Of the teeth ; as odontology , odontalgia. 



Oligo- (oAi'yos). Fewness or lack of, as oligocythemia. 



Ophthalmo- (6<f>0aA/ud?). Pertaining to the eye, as ophthal- 

 mia, ophthalmoplegia. 



Ortho- (op0<k). Straight, upright, correct. See orthoscope, 

 orthopedia, orthopraxis. 



Osteo- (oareov). Referring to bone. See osteoblast, osteomyel- 

 itis, osteoplastic. 



Oto- (ovs). Pertaining to the ear, as otorrhea, otophone. 



Oxy- (v£us). Denoting the presence of oxygen, or acidity ; as 

 oxygen, oxyhemoglobin. 



Pan-, Pant- (n-as, nay). All, every, universal ; as pancreas, 

 pangenesis, pantomorphic. 



Para- (n-apa). Through, near, by, by the side of, abnormality. 

 Examples : paracentesis, paresthesia, parenchyma, par- 

 otid. 



Peri- (nepi). About, around. See, e. g., pericardium, peri- 

 meter, perilymph, periosteum. 



Pod- (h-ovs). Pertaining to the foot, as podalgia, podedema. 



Poly-, pol- (n-oAus). Many, much ; e.g., polycona, polygalac- 

 tia, polyuria. 



Prae-, pre- iPrce). Before; e. g., prtecordia, prepuce. 



Pro- (n-pd). Before, down ; as in process, procidentia, prolapse, 

 proplo.si.s-. 



Proc-, procto- (n-pwKTdv). The anus, pertaining to the anus; 

 *. ,<T i proctitis, proctoplegia. 



Pseudo- (i|/ev6»is). False, spurious ; as in pseudarthrosis, pseudo- 

 cyesis. 



Pyo- (irOoi'). Pertaining to pus or purulency ; e. g., pyogenic, 

 pvosalpinx. 



Pyr-. pyro- (itvp). Concerning fire or heat, or inflammation ; 

 t. g„ pyrogenous, pyrexia. 



Retro- ( Retro). Backward, behind; e. g., retroftex, retro- 

 version . 



Rhin-, Rhino- (pi's). Pertaining to the nose, as rhinoplasty, 

 rhinitis. 



Semi- (Semis). Half, partly, almost, as semicapinm, semi- 

 lunar. 



