A-T Prefixes

a- or an-

A- or an- means no, or without. For example, asepsis means without pathogens, or the state of being free from pathogens.

ab-

Ab- means away from. For example, abduction is movement of a limb away from the midline of the body.

ad-

Ad- means toward. For example, adduction is movement of a limb toward the midline of the body.

aut(o)-

Aut- means self. Aut(o) is its combining form. For example, an autograft is a surgery using one's own skin to make the repair.

brady-

Brady- means slow. For example, bradycardia refers to a slow heartbeat

chem(o)-

Chem- means chemistry or drug. Chem(o) is its combining form. For example, chemotherapy is a drug treatment used to treat cancer.

dia-

Dia- means complete or through. For example, diagnosis refers to a complete state of knowledge for the purposes of identifying a disease.

dis-

Dis- means to separate or take apart. For example, dissection refers to cutting open an organism to observe its internal structures. Dis- can also be used to mean: lack, as in distrust or disorientation reversal, as in disconnect

dys-

Dys- means abnormal or painful. For example, dysentery is the name of a disease that causes inflammation of the intestine, and is quite painful.

endo-

Endo- means inside or within. For example, endoscopy is a method of visualizing internal organs with a camera.

epi-/exo-

Epi- and exo- both mean outside or outside of. For example, epicardium is the outer heart tissue, and exoskeleton is a skeletal structure found on the outside of an organism

eu-

Eu- means good or normal. For example, euglycemia refers to a normal level of blood sugar.

hyper-

Hyper- means above or above normal. For example, hypertension refers to high blood pressure.

hypo-

Hypo- means under or below normal. For example, hypoglycemia refers to low blood sugar.

inter-

Inter- means between or among. For example, intercellular means between or among cells

lyso-

Lyso- means dissolve or dissolution. For example, lysosomes are parts of cells that dissolve or break down waste.

macro

Macro- means large. For example, macrophages are large cells.

mal-

Mal- means bad or ill. For example, malignant refers to a growth that is cancerous, made up of abnormal cells multiplying uncontrollably.

micro-

Micro- means small. For example, a microscope is a tool used by scientists to view small body parts, such as tissues and cells.

mono-

Mono- means single or one. For example, a monolayer refers to a structure with only one layer.

neo-

Neo- means new. For example, a neonate is a newborn.

para-

Para- means beside, beyond, around, or abnormal. For example, parathyroid glands are small glands next to, or beside, the thyroid

poly-

Poly- means many, or more than usual. For example, polydipsia means excessive thirst, where dipsa is a Greek root word meaning thirst.

post-

Post- means after or behind. For example, postmortem means after death.

pre-

Pre- means before. For example, preoperative means before an operation.

pro-

Pro- means before. For example, prognosis means a prediction of the course of a disease, based on medical knowledge, before it happens

re-

Re- means again or backward. For example, relapse refers to a recurrence of a past condition.

schiz(o)-

Schiz means split. Schiz(o) is the combining form. For example, schizophrenia refers to a mental disorder in which mental functions become split and confused.

sub-

Sub- means below or under. For example, subcutaneous refers to something below the skin.

supra-

Supra- means above or excessive. For example, suprapatellar refers to the area above the patella or kneecap.

tachy-

Tachy- means fast. For example, tachycardia is a fast heartbeat.

trans-

Trans- means moving through or across. For example, transfusion is a transfer of blood from one person to another.