Common Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words in Anatomy & Physiology

Prefixes

Prefixes are word parts added to the beginning of a root word to modify its meaning. In anatomy and physiology, prefixes often indicate location, number, time, or status. Understanding these prefixes helps students decode complex medical terminology.

• a-, an-: Absence or lack (e.g., anemia – lack of blood)

• ab-: Departing from, away from (e.g., abduction – movement away from the midline)

• ad-: To, toward (e.g., adduction – movement toward the midline)

• anti-, contra-: Against, opposing (e.g., antibiotic – against life, contralateral – opposite side)

• bi-: Two (e.g., biceps – muscle with two heads)

• brady-: Slow (e.g., bradycardia – slow heart rate)

• hyper-: Excess, above normal (e.g., hypertension – high blood pressure)

• hypo-: Below, deficient (e.g., hypoglycemia – low blood sugar)

• inter-: Between (e.g., intercostal – between the ribs)

• intra-: Within, inside (e.g., intracellular – within a cell)

• peri-: Around (e.g., pericardium – membrane around the heart)

• sub-: Below, under (e.g., subcutaneous – under the skin)

• trans-: Across, through (e.g., transdermal – through the skin)

• retro-: Backward, behind (e.g., retroperitoneal – behind the peritoneum)

• poly-: Many (e.g., polysaccharide – many sugars)

• uni-: One (e.g., unilateral – one side)

Suffixes

Suffixes are word parts added to the end of a root word, often indicating a procedure, condition, disorder, or disease. Recognizing suffixes is essential for understanding medical diagnoses and procedures.

• -algia: Pain (e.g., neuralgia – nerve pain)

• -cyte: Cell (e.g., erythrocyte – red blood cell)

• -ectomy: Cutting out, surgical removal (e.g., appendectomy – removal of the appendix)

• -emia: Condition of the blood (e.g., leukemia – cancer of white blood cells)

• -itis: Inflammation (e.g., arthritis – inflammation of a joint)

• -logy: The study of (e.g., physiology – study of function)

• -oma: Tumor (e.g., carcinoma – cancerous tumor)

• -osis: Condition, usually abnormal (e.g., cyanosis – bluish discoloration)

• -pathy: Disease (e.g., neuropathy – nerve disease)

• -plasty: Reconstruction of a part (e.g., rhinoplasty – surgical repair of the nose)

• -scope: Instrument used for examination (e.g., microscope – instrument for viewing small objects)

• -stomy: Establishment of an artificial opening (e.g., colostomy – opening of the colon to the outside)

• -tomy: To cut (e.g., tracheotomy – incision into the trachea)

Root Words

Root words provide the core meaning of a term and often refer to a body part, system, or process. Mastery of root words is fundamental for interpreting anatomical and physiological terminology.

• cardi-, cardio-: Heart (e.g., cardiology – study of the heart)

• derm-, dermato-: Skin (e.g., dermatology – study of the skin)

• hepat-, hepato-: Liver (e.g., hepatitis – inflammation of the liver)

• nephr-, nephro-: Kidney (e.g., nephrology – study of the kidney)

• neur-, neuro-: Nerve (e.g., neurology – study of the nervous system)

• oste-, osteo-: Bone (e.g., osteocyte – bone cell)

• myo-, my-: Muscle (e.g., myopathy – muscle disease)

• cyt-, cyto-: Cell (e.g., cytoplasm – material within a cell)

• hem-, hemo-, hemat-: Blood (e.g., hemoglobin – oxygen-carrying protein in blood)

• arthr-, arthro-: Joint (e.g., arthritis – joint inflammation)

• gastr-, gastro-: Stomach (e.g., gastritis – inflammation of the stomach)

• pulmo-, pulmon-: Lung (e.g., pulmonary – relating to the lungs)

• vas-, vaso-: Vessel, duct (e.g., vasodilation – widening of a blood vessel)

Application: Decoding Medical Terms

By combining prefixes, root words, and suffixes, complex medical terms can be interpreted. This skill is essential for understanding clinical language and communicating effectively in healthcare settings.

• Osteoarthritis: osteo- (bone) + arthr- (joint) + -itis (inflammation) = inflammation of the bone and joint.

• Hypoglycemia: hypo- (below) + glyc- (sugar) + -emia (blood condition) = low blood sugar condition.

• Polyneuropathy: poly- (many) + neur- (nerve) + -pathy (disease) = disease affecting many nerves.

Table: Selected Anatomical and Physiological Word Parts

The following table summarizes some of the most common prefixes, suffixes, and root words encountered in anatomy and physiology, along with their meanings and examples.

Summary

Understanding prefixes, suffixes, and root words is foundational for success in anatomy and physiology. These word parts allow students to interpret medical terminology, communicate effectively, and comprehend clinical documentation. Mastery of these terms supports learning across all chapters of anatomy and physiology, from cellular structure to organ systems.