a-   

without, not
e.g. anaesthesia = loss of sensation.

ab-   

away from
e.g. abnormal = not normal.

ad-   

to
e.g. adhesion = joining of parts to each other.

ante-   

(an-tee-)
before
e.g. antenatal = before birth.

anti-   

(an-ti-)
against
e.g. antipyretic = fever reducing.

bi-   

(by-)
two, both
e.g. bilateral = both sides.

brady-   

(bray-di-)
slow
e.g. bradycardia = abnormally slow heart rate.

co-, con-   

together, with
e.g. congenital = born with.

contra-   

(con-tra-)
against, opposite
e.g. contraction = shortening, pulling together.

dys-   

(diss-)
bad, improper
e.g. dysphagia = difficulty in swallowing.

ec-   

(ek-)
out of or outside
e.g. eccrine = (adjective describing) sweat glands that are found all over the body.

ect-   

(ekt-)
outer or external
e.g. ectoderm = the outer of the three layers of the early embryo.

em-, en-   

(em-, en-)
in, on
e.g. empyema = pus in a body cavity.

end-   

(end-)
within
e.g. endoscope = instrument for examining the interior of a body cavity.

epi-   

(ep-i-)
upon, after, in addition
e.g. epidermis = outer layer of skin.

ex-   

(eks-)
out of
e.g. exophthalmos = abnormal protrusion of the eyeball.

glyc-   

(gly-k-)
sweet, sugar
e.g. glycosuria = the presence of abnormal amounts of sugar in the urine.

hemi-   

(hem-i-)
half
e.g. hemiplegia = paralysis of one side of the body.

hyper-   

(hy-pur-)
excessive, abnormally increased or above
e.g. hyperacidity = abnormally increased concentration of acid.

hypo-   

(hy-poh-)
beneath, below
e.g. hypoglycaemia = abnormally low concentration of blood glucose.

leuc-, leuk-   

(luke-)
white
e.g. leucocytes = white blood cells.

lip-   

(lip-)
fat
e.g. lipaemia = presence of abnormal amounts of fat in the blood.

par-, para-   

(par-, para-)
beside, beyond
e.g. paramastoid = near the mastoid process.

peri-   

(per-i-)
around, about
e.g. pericardium = two membranous sacs which surround the heart.

phag-   

(fag-)
eating
e.g. phagocyte = a cell able to engulf and digest bacteria etc.

pre-   

(pree-)
before, in front of
e.g. precancerous = before the development of carcinoma.

pro-   

(pro-)
before, in front of
e.g. prognosis = prediction of the outcome of a disease.

radi-, radio-   

(ray-di-, ray-di-oh-)
to do with rays
e.g. radiology = the use of radiation, including X-rays, for medical purposes.

retro-   

(ret-roh-)
backwards
e.g. retroflexion = a bending or flexing backward.

semi-   

(sem-i-)
half
e.g. semilunar = half moon shaped bone of hand.

sub-   

(sub-)
under, beneath, below
e.g. subclavicular = beneath the clavicle.

super-, supra-   

(soo-pur-, soo-prah-)
above, beyond, superior
e.g. suprarenal = above the kidney.

sym-, syn-   

(sim-, sin-)
with, along, together, beside
e.g. syndactylism = fusion of two or more fingers or toes.

tachy-   

(tacky-)
fast, rapid
e.g. tachycardia = abnormally fast heart rate.

trans-   

(trans-)
through, across
e.g. transection = cutting across or mechanical severance.

tri-   

(try-)
three
e.g. tricuspid = having three cusps or points.