Anatomical and Medical Prefixes and Suffixes

Learning anatomy for the first time can sometimes feel like learning a new language. Students often not only have a large amount of content to learn, but also struggle to make meaning of the language associated with that content. The wonderful thing about this language however, is that in many cases, the names of anatomy related content are incredibly helpful if you just understand that often the words can be broken down into different parts that have meanings. For example, the subclavian artery. The name tells you of its location and hints also at the path of this blood vessel. Sub – meaning below, clavian – relating to the collarbone or in anatomical terms, the clavicle. Another example, arthr – meaning joint, and itis – meaning inflammation. There are numerous examples like these!

Often parts of a word that have different meanings will be linked together. For example, brachioradialis, a muscle in the arm, can be broken down into two parts that have meaning, and a linking vowel, in this case ‘o’. Brachi meaning upper arm, and radialis referring to one of the bones in the forearm, the radius. The linking vowel is most commonly ‘o’, but other vowels may also be used to link parts of a word together.

To make learning this language easier, this article takes some of the more commonly used prefixes and suffixes, puts them into categories and then provides the meaning, and examples. For instance, in the previous two examples, ‘sub’ would be found in the location-related category, and ‘arthr’ would be found in the body region-related category. Within each category, the prefixes will be listed in alphabetical order.

Contents

Organ/region/structure
Location
Movement/speed
Other attributes (size, shape, number etc.)
Related diagrams and images

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Organ/region/structure

Common prefixes related to organs, body regions or structures (with examples)
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 upper arm brachioradialis (muscle that originates in the upper 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)

Location

Common prefixes related to location (with examples)
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

Movement/speed

Common prefixes related to direction or speed of movement (with examples)
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)

Other attributes (size, shape, number etc.)

Other common prefixes and their related descriptions (with examples)
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

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Anatomical and Medical Prefixes and Suffixes

Organ/region/structure

Location

Movement/speed

Other attributes (size, shape, number etc.)

Related diagrams and images

Directional terms and body planes

Cavities of the body

Types of body movements

Continue your learning

Read more articles

Watch videos

Take a quiz

Browse atlas

Anatomical and Medical Prefixes and Suffixes

Organ/region/structure

Location

Movement/speed

Other attributes (size, shape, number etc.)

Related diagrams and images

Directional terms and body planes

Cavities of the body

Types of body movements

Continue your learning

Read more articles

Watch videos

Take a quiz

Browse atlas

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Learning anatomy isn't impossible.
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