Prefixes

1
Prefixes

• HLSC 2613 Medical Terminology
• Chapter 4

2
Student Objectives

• Explain the use of prefixes in medical
  terminology.
• Explain how a prefix changes the meaning of a
  word.
• Identify prefixes of position, number, and
  measurement, negation, and direction.

3
Prefixes of Position

• Ante- antepartum, antecubital
• pre- preoperative
• pro- prootic
• epi epidermis, epidural, epinephrine

4
Prefixes of Position

• hypo- hypodermic, hypoallergenic
• infra- infrapubic
• sub- subcutaneous, submarine
• inter- intercostal, internet
• medi- medial, median
• meso- mesoderm

5
Prefixes of Position

• post- postnatal
• retro- retroperitoneal

6
Prefixes of Number and Measurement

• Bi- bilateral
• dipl- diplopia
• diplo diplococci
• hemi- hemiplegia
• semi- semicircular
• hyper- hyperglycemia
• macro- large

7
Prefixes of Number and Measurement

• Micro- microscope
• mono- mononuclear
• uni- unilateral
• multi- multipara

8
Prefixes of Number and Measurement

• Poly- polyphobia, polymer
• primi- primigravida
• quadri- quadriplegia
• tri- triceps

9
Prefixes of Negation

• A- asymptomatic
• an- anesthesia
• im- impotency
• in- insane, insensitive

10
Prefixes of Direction

• Ab- abnormal
• ad- adduction, addition
• circum- circumoral, circumference
• peri- periosteitis, perimeter
• ec- ectopia
• ex- excise

11
Prefixes of Direction

• Dia- diarrhea
• trans- transfusion
• ecto- ectoderm
• exo- exotropia
• extra- extraocular
• endo- endocardium
• intra- intradermal

12
Prefixes of Direction

• Para- paranasal
• super- supersensitive
• supra- suprarenal
• anti- antibacterial
• contra- contraception
• brady- slow
• dys- dyspepsia

13
Prefixes of Direction

• Eu- eupnea
• hetero- different
• homo- homosexual
• mal- malnutrition
• pan- panhysterectomy, panacea
• pseudo- pseudoplegia
• syn- synarthrosis, synthesis
• tachy- tachypnea

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End of Lesson four