Introduction to Common Medical Prefixes and Postfixes

AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMON MEDICAL PREFIXES AND POSTFIXES With hundreds of medical terms to memorize, aspiring doctors and nurses certainly have their hands full as they learn the language of their profession. For those just getting started, here are some of the most commonly encountered medical prefixes and postfixes: COMMON PREFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Life Biology: The study of living things. Bio- Carcinogen: A substance capable of causing cancer. Carcin- Pertaining to Cancer Cardiomyopathy: Chronic disease of the heart muscle. Cardi- Pertaining to the heart Dysphasia: A disruption causing a difficulty in speech. Dys- Bad or difficult Pertaining to the skin Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin. Derm- Pertaining to the face Facioplegic: Facial paralysis. Faci- Pertaining to the stomach Gastroenterology: Branch of medicine that studies the stomach. Gastro- Hemophilia: A bleeding disorder in which blood takes a long time to clot. Hema- Pertaining to blood Something extreme or beyond normal Hypertension: Abnormally high blood Hyper- pressure. Liposuction: The surgical removal of excess fat. Lipo- Pertaining to fat Pertaining to bone Osteoperosis: The thinning of bone tissue. Osteo- Somatotype: The structure or build of a person's body. Somat- Pertaining to the body COMMON POSTFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Myasthenia Gravis: A chronic disease characterized by muscle weakness. -asthenia Weakness To secrete Endocrine: Related to the glands. -crine -dynia Vulvodynia: Chronic pain syndrome. Pain The surgical removal of a body part Hysterectomy: The removal of the uterus. -ectomy Bronchiectasis: The destruction and widening of the large airways. -ectasis Expansion and dilation Diagnosis: Identification of the cause of something. -gnosis Knowledge Sonogram: A visual image produced from an ultrasound. -gram Picture or record A field of study in medicine Psychiatry: The study and treatment of mental disorders. -iatry Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchial tubes. -itis Inflammation Narcalepsy: A condition of rapid onset of sleep. -lepsy Attack or seizure Dysphagia: A condition in which swallowing is painful. -phagia Eating RASMUSSEN COLLEGE AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMON MEDICAL PREFIXES AND POSTFIXES With hundreds of medical terms to memorize, aspiring doctors and nurses certainly have their hands full as they learn the language of their profession. For those just getting started, here are some of the most commonly encountered medical prefixes and postfixes: COMMON PREFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Life Biology: The study of living things. Bio- Carcinogen: A substance capable of causing cancer. Carcin- Pertaining to Cancer Cardiomyopathy: Chronic disease of the heart muscle. Cardi- Pertaining to the heart Dysphasia: A disruption causing a difficulty in speech. Dys- Bad or difficult Pertaining to the skin Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin. Derm- Pertaining to the face Facioplegic: Facial paralysis. Faci- Pertaining to the stomach Gastroenterology: Branch of medicine that studies the stomach. Gastro- Hemophilia: A bleeding disorder in which blood takes a long time to clot. Hema- Pertaining to blood Something extreme or beyond normal Hypertension: Abnormally high blood Hyper- pressure. Liposuction: The surgical removal of excess fat. Lipo- Pertaining to fat Pertaining to bone Osteoperosis: The thinning of bone tissue. Osteo- Somatotype: The structure or build of a person's body. Somat- Pertaining to the body COMMON POSTFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Myasthenia Gravis: A chronic disease characterized by muscle weakness. -asthenia Weakness To secrete Endocrine: Related to the glands. -crine -dynia Vulvodynia: Chronic pain syndrome. Pain The surgical removal of a body part Hysterectomy: The removal of the uterus. -ectomy Bronchiectasis: The destruction and widening of the large airways. -ectasis Expansion and dilation Diagnosis: Identification of the cause of something. -gnosis Knowledge Sonogram: A visual image produced from an ultrasound. -gram Picture or record A field of study in medicine Psychiatry: The study and treatment of mental disorders. -iatry Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchial tubes. -itis Inflammation Narcalepsy: A condition of rapid onset of sleep. -lepsy Attack or seizure Dysphagia: A condition in which swallowing is painful. -phagia Eating RASMUSSEN COLLEGE AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMON MEDICAL PREFIXES AND POSTFIXES With hundreds of medical terms to memorize, aspiring doctors and nurses certainly have their hands full as they learn the language of their profession. For those just getting started, here are some of the most commonly encountered medical prefixes and postfixes: COMMON PREFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Life Biology: The study of living things. Bio- Carcinogen: A substance capable of causing cancer. Carcin- Pertaining to Cancer Cardiomyopathy: Chronic disease of the heart muscle. Cardi- Pertaining to the heart Dysphasia: A disruption causing a difficulty in speech. Dys- Bad or difficult Pertaining to the skin Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin. Derm- Pertaining to the face Facioplegic: Facial paralysis. Faci- Pertaining to the stomach Gastroenterology: Branch of medicine that studies the stomach. Gastro- Hemophilia: A bleeding disorder in which blood takes a long time to clot. Hema- Pertaining to blood Something extreme or beyond normal Hypertension: Abnormally high blood Hyper- pressure. Liposuction: The surgical removal of excess fat. Lipo- Pertaining to fat Pertaining to bone Osteoperosis: The thinning of bone tissue. Osteo- Somatotype: The structure or build of a person's body. Somat- Pertaining to the body COMMON POSTFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Myasthenia Gravis: A chronic disease characterized by muscle weakness. -asthenia Weakness To secrete Endocrine: Related to the glands. -crine -dynia Vulvodynia: Chronic pain syndrome. Pain The surgical removal of a body part Hysterectomy: The removal of the uterus. -ectomy Bronchiectasis: The destruction and widening of the large airways. -ectasis Expansion and dilation Diagnosis: Identification of the cause of something. -gnosis Knowledge Sonogram: A visual image produced from an ultrasound. -gram Picture or record A field of study in medicine Psychiatry: The study and treatment of mental disorders. -iatry Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchial tubes. -itis Inflammation Narcalepsy: A condition of rapid onset of sleep. -lepsy Attack or seizure Dysphagia: A condition in which swallowing is painful. -phagia Eating RASMUSSEN COLLEGE AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMON MEDICAL PREFIXES AND POSTFIXES With hundreds of medical terms to memorize, aspiring doctors and nurses certainly have their hands full as they learn the language of their profession. For those just getting started, here are some of the most commonly encountered medical prefixes and postfixes: COMMON PREFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Life Biology: The study of living things. Bio- Carcinogen: A substance capable of causing cancer. Carcin- Pertaining to Cancer Cardiomyopathy: Chronic disease of the heart muscle. Cardi- Pertaining to the heart Dysphasia: A disruption causing a difficulty in speech. Dys- Bad or difficult Pertaining to the skin Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin. Derm- Pertaining to the face Facioplegic: Facial paralysis. Faci- Pertaining to the stomach Gastroenterology: Branch of medicine that studies the stomach. Gastro- Hemophilia: A bleeding disorder in which blood takes a long time to clot. Hema- Pertaining to blood Something extreme or beyond normal Hypertension: Abnormally high blood Hyper- pressure. Liposuction: The surgical removal of excess fat. Lipo- Pertaining to fat Pertaining to bone Osteoperosis: The thinning of bone tissue. Osteo- Somatotype: The structure or build of a person's body. Somat- Pertaining to the body COMMON POSTFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Myasthenia Gravis: A chronic disease characterized by muscle weakness. -asthenia Weakness To secrete Endocrine: Related to the glands. -crine -dynia Vulvodynia: Chronic pain syndrome. Pain The surgical removal of a body part Hysterectomy: The removal of the uterus. -ectomy Bronchiectasis: The destruction and widening of the large airways. -ectasis Expansion and dilation Diagnosis: Identification of the cause of something. -gnosis Knowledge Sonogram: A visual image produced from an ultrasound. -gram Picture or record A field of study in medicine Psychiatry: The study and treatment of mental disorders. -iatry Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchial tubes. -itis Inflammation Narcalepsy: A condition of rapid onset of sleep. -lepsy Attack or seizure Dysphagia: A condition in which swallowing is painful. -phagia Eating RASMUSSEN COLLEGE AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMON MEDICAL PREFIXES AND POSTFIXES With hundreds of medical terms to memorize, aspiring doctors and nurses certainly have their hands full as they learn the language of their profession. For those just getting started, here are some of the most commonly encountered medical prefixes and postfixes: COMMON PREFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Life Biology: The study of living things. Bio- Carcinogen: A substance capable of causing cancer. Carcin- Pertaining to Cancer Cardiomyopathy: Chronic disease of the heart muscle. Cardi- Pertaining to the heart Dysphasia: A disruption causing a difficulty in speech. Dys- Bad or difficult Pertaining to the skin Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin. Derm- Pertaining to the face Facioplegic: Facial paralysis. Faci- Pertaining to the stomach Gastroenterology: Branch of medicine that studies the stomach. Gastro- Hemophilia: A bleeding disorder in which blood takes a long time to clot. Hema- Pertaining to blood Something extreme or beyond normal Hypertension: Abnormally high blood Hyper- pressure. Liposuction: The surgical removal of excess fat. Lipo- Pertaining to fat Pertaining to bone Osteoperosis: The thinning of bone tissue. Osteo- Somatotype: The structure or build of a person's body. Somat- Pertaining to the body COMMON POSTFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Myasthenia Gravis: A chronic disease characterized by muscle weakness. -asthenia Weakness To secrete Endocrine: Related to the glands. -crine -dynia Vulvodynia: Chronic pain syndrome. Pain The surgical removal of a body part Hysterectomy: The removal of the uterus. -ectomy Bronchiectasis: The destruction and widening of the large airways. -ectasis Expansion and dilation Diagnosis: Identification of the cause of something. -gnosis Knowledge Sonogram: A visual image produced from an ultrasound. -gram Picture or record A field of study in medicine Psychiatry: The study and treatment of mental disorders. -iatry Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchial tubes. -itis Inflammation Narcalepsy: A condition of rapid onset of sleep. -lepsy Attack or seizure Dysphagia: A condition in which swallowing is painful. -phagia Eating RASMUSSEN COLLEGE AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMON MEDICAL PREFIXES AND POSTFIXES With hundreds of medical terms to memorize, aspiring doctors and nurses certainly have their hands full as they learn the language of their profession. For those just getting started, here are some of the most commonly encountered medical prefixes and postfixes: COMMON PREFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Life Biology: The study of living things. Bio- Carcinogen: A substance capable of causing cancer. Carcin- Pertaining to Cancer Cardiomyopathy: Chronic disease of the heart muscle. Cardi- Pertaining to the heart Dysphasia: A disruption causing a difficulty in speech. Dys- Bad or difficult Pertaining to the skin Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin. Derm- Pertaining to the face Facioplegic: Facial paralysis. Faci- Pertaining to the stomach Gastroenterology: Branch of medicine that studies the stomach. Gastro- Hemophilia: A bleeding disorder in which blood takes a long time to clot. Hema- Pertaining to blood Something extreme or beyond normal Hypertension: Abnormally high blood Hyper- pressure. Liposuction: The surgical removal of excess fat. Lipo- Pertaining to fat Pertaining to bone Osteoperosis: The thinning of bone tissue. Osteo- Somatotype: The structure or build of a person's body. Somat- Pertaining to the body COMMON POSTFIXES MEANING EXAMPLE Myasthenia Gravis: A chronic disease characterized by muscle weakness. -asthenia Weakness To secrete Endocrine: Related to the glands. -crine -dynia Vulvodynia: Chronic pain syndrome. Pain The surgical removal of a body part Hysterectomy: The removal of the uterus. -ectomy Bronchiectasis: The destruction and widening of the large airways. -ectasis Expansion and dilation Diagnosis: Identification of the cause of something. -gnosis Knowledge Sonogram: A visual image produced from an ultrasound. -gram Picture or record A field of study in medicine Psychiatry: The study and treatment of mental disorders. -iatry Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchial tubes. -itis Inflammation Narcalepsy: A condition of rapid onset of sleep. -lepsy Attack or seizure Dysphagia: A condition in which swallowing is painful. -phagia Eating RASMUSSEN COLLEGE