abdom-	the abdomen transversus abdominis (abdominal muscle)
aden-	glands adenocarcinoma (tumor in a gland)
adip-	fat/fatty tissue adipocyte (fat cell)
adren-	the adrenal glands adrenal artery
andro-	male androgens (male hormones)
angi-	blood vessels angiotensin (hormone causing constriction of blood vessels)
arteri-	arteries arteriole (small, oxygen carrying, blood vessel)
arthr-, articul-	joints arthritis (inflammation of a joint), articulation (joint between two parts, typically bones)
axill-	armpit region axillary nerve
brachi-	the arm brachioradialis (muscle that originates in the arm)
bronch(i)-	the lungs bronchitis (inflammation in the lungs)
capit-, cep-, ceph-	the head rectus capitis muscle, quadriceps muscle, brachiocephalic artery (supplies blood to the arm and head)
cardi-, coron-	the heart great cardiac vein (a vein draining the heart muscle), coronary artery
carp-	the wrist carpal bones (bones after the wrist joint)
cerebr-, encephal-	the brain cerebrospinal fluid (fluid circulating around the brain and spinal cord), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
cervic-	the neck cervical spine, cervix (neck of the uterus)
cholecyst-	the gallbladder cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder)
chondr-	cartilage chondromalacia (softening of the cartilage)
cyst-	bladder cystic duct (vessel leading to/from the gallbladder)
clav-, cleid-	collar bone clavicle, sternocleidomastoid (neck muscle)
col-, colo-, colono-	the colon/large intestine colonoscopy
condyl-	a knuckle/knob femoral condyle (bony prominence at the knee joint)
cost-, pleur-	the ribs costal cartilage (cartilage between ribs and sternum)
cran-	the skull cranium (bones that encase the brain)
cut-, derm-	the skin cutaneous nerve, dermis (layer of skin)
cyt-	cell cytoplasm (fluid within a cell)
dendr-	tree dendrites (branches of a nerve cell)
digit-	the fingers flexor digitorum superficialis (muscle in the forearm)
enter-	the intestines enterology (study of the intestines)
gang-	collection of nerve cell bodies (Greek for ‘a swelling’) dorsal root ganglion
gastro-	the stomach gastric ulcer (ulcer in the stomach)
gloss-, glott-, lingu-, lingu-	the tongue glossopharyngeal nerve
glut-	buttocks gluteus maximus muscle
gyno-, gyneco-	woman gynecomastia (enlarged breast tissue in men)
hemat-, hemato-, hema-, hemo-	blood hematocrit (red blood cell content of blood)
hepat-	the liver hepatocytes (main functional cells of the liver)
kary-	nucleus karyote (cell with a nucleus)
lumb-	loin, lower spine region lumbosacral plexus (nerves arising from the lumbar and sacral regions of the spine)
muscul-, myo-	muscle musculocutaneous nerve, myofibril (muscle fiber)
myel-	spinal cord myelencephalon (embryonic division of the central nervous system)
neph-, ren-	the kidney nephritis (inflammation of the kidney), renal artery
neuro-	nerves and the nervous system neuroanatomy (anatomy of the nervous system)
occipit-	back of the head external occipital protuberance
ocul-, ophthalm-	the eye oculomotor nerve, ophthalmic artery
omo-	shoulder omohyoid muscle
onco-	tumor oncology (the study of tumors)
osse-, ossi-, ost(eo)-	bone osteoporosis (low bone mass)
pect-	chest pectoralis major muscle
ped-	foot dorsalis pedis artery
plant-, sole-, tars-	sole of foot plantar flexion, soleus muscle, tarsal bones
pne(um)-, pneumon-, pulmon-, pulmo-	the lungs pneumonia (an infection in the lungs), pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs)
poll-	thumb abductor pollicis muscle
poplit-	knee joint, behind the knee popliteal artery
spin-, spondyl-	the spine/vertebrae erector spinae (muscles along the spine), spondylitis (inflammation in the spine)
splen-	the spleen splenic artery
tal-	ankle talus bone
thorac-	chest region thoracic spine
thromb-	blood clot thrombus
vas-, vasculo-	blood vessel vasoconstriction (narrowing of a blood vessel lumen)
ven-, (phlebo)	veins, venous blood superior vena cava (large vein that empties into the right atrium of the heart)
viscer-	the internal organs visceral pericardium (a layer of the heart wall)

ambi-, amphi-	on both sides, double ambidextrous (can use both hands equally), amphicrania (pain affecting both sides of the head)
bas-	pertaining to the base basiocciput (part of the occipital bone in front of the foramen magnum)
caud-	tail caudal
cort-	outer region, bark cerebral cortex (outer region of the brain), renal cortex (outer region of the kidney)
di-, dia-	between diaphragm (muscle wall between the thoracic and abdominal cavities)
dors-, dors(i)-	pertaining to the back latissimus dorsi (superficial muscle of the back)
e-, ec(to)-, ex(o)-, extra-	on the outside ectoderm (outer layer of embryologic germ cells), extradural (outside the dura mater)
em-, en(do)-	inside, within embolism (a blockage inside a blood vessel), endocardium (within the heart)
epi-	over, above, on top epidermis (top layer of skin)
fore-	before or ahead forearm (part of the arm between the wrist and elbow)
fron-	pertaining to the forehead frontal bone (skull bone that makes up the forehead)
hypo-	below hypothalamus (below the thalamus)
infra-	below infraorbital (below the orbit)
inter-	between, among intercostal (between the ribs)
intra-	within intramuscular (within the muscle)
ipsi-	same ipsilateral (on the same side)
juxta-	near to, beside or next to juxtaglomerular apparatus (beside the glomerulus)
lat-	side fascia lata (fascia on the side of the thigh)
met-, meta-	after, change metacarpals (after the carpus or wrist)
para-	beside, next to paravertebral (beside the vertebrae)
peri-	surrounding, around peritoneum (serous membrane surrounding many abdominal organs)
post-	after, behind posterior (to the back), post-mortem (examination of a body after death)
pre-, pro-	before prenatal (before birth), pronephros (before the kidney)
radic-	the beginning or root of a structure, usually a nerve or vein radiculopathy (a pinched nerve root)
retro-	backward, behind retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum)
sub-	beneath, under subclavian (under the clavicle)
super-, supra-	above, over, superior to supraspinatus (a muscle above or superior to the spine of the scapula)
trans-	across transpyloric (across the pylorus region of the stomach)
ventro-	to the front ventral

ab-	away from abduct (move away from the body)
ad-, af-	toward adduct (move towards the body), afferent (movement towards the heart or brain)
brady-	slow bradycardia (slow heart rate)
circum-	to go/move around something circumduct (move in a circle)
de-	down deglutination (swallow down)
ef-	away from efferent (movement away from the heart or brain)
kine-	movement kinesiology (the study of movement)
tachy-	fast tachycardia (fast heart rate)
trans-	something is moving, (also across) transfusion (movement of blood)

a-, an-	not, without anucleate cell (a cell without a nucleus), analgesia (without pain)
ankyl-, ancyl-	crooked ankylosing spondylitis (a type of arthritis that affects the spine)
bi-, di-,	two, double biceps brachii (muscle in the arm with two heads)
cric-	ring cricoid cartilage (of the larynx)
di-, dif-, dis-	apart, separation dilation, dissection
dys-	difficult, abnormal, defective dysentery (abnormal functioning of the intestines)
eu-	good, true, new, eupnea (normal breathing)
fasc-	bandage thoracolumbar fascia
fasci-	bundle fasciculus cuneatus (bundle of nerves in the spinal cord)
fenestr-	window fenestrated endothelium
foram-	opening, hole foramen magnum
hyper-	excessive, above normal hypertension (above normal pressure in blood vessels)
hypo-	low, below normal hypotension (below normal pressure in blood vessels)
iso-	equal isometric (re: muscle contraction = muscle contraction with no change in length)
kyph-	humped kyphosis (overcurvature in the thoracic spine)
magn-	great foramen magnus (hole in the occipital bone for the spinal cord)
macro-, meg(a)-, megal(o)-,	large, enlargement macrophage (large cell), megaloencephaly (abnormally large brain)
meat-	passage acoustic meatus
micr-	small microorganism
morph-	shape morphology
oligo-	few oligodendrocytes (type of neural cell that form the myelin sheath in the central nervous system)
parvo-	small parvocellular (small cells – type of cell in the lateral geniculate nucleus)
poly-	many, multiple polymyositis (inflammation in many muscles)
pseud-	fake, false pseudostratified epithelium (not really layered)
quad-	to make square, also four quadratus lumborum muscle, quadriceps (four headed muscle in the anterior thigh)
rect-	straight rectus femoris muscle
sarco-	flesh-like, muscle sarcoma (tumor in connective tissue)
scler-	hard sclera (part of the eye)
semi-	half, partly semitendinosus (one part of the hamstring muscle group)
steno-	narrow spinal stenosis (narrowing of the vertebral canal in which the spinal cord runs)
styl-	pillar, stalk styloid process
tect-	roof optic tectum (most superior part of the midbrain)
tel-	far off, distant telencephalon (embryologic division of the brain)
tetan-	rigid, tense tetanus (rigidity in muscles)
ter-	round, smooth teres major muscle
tri-	three tricuspid valve (located between the right atrium and ventricle of the heart)
trochlea-	pulley trochlear nerve
tuber-	bump, lump gluteal tuberosity (located on the femur, attachment site for gluteus maximus)
uni-	one unilateral (on one side)
vag-	wandering, undecided vagus nerve
vast-	large area, immense vastus lateralis muscle

Anatomical and Medical Prefixes and Suffixes

Organ/region/structure

Location

Movement/speed

Other attributes (size, shape, number etc.)

Sources

Learning anatomy isn't impossible. We're here to help.

Learning anatomy isn't impossible.
We're here to help.