
Prefix : A prefix is an element placed at the beginning of a word to adjust or qualify its meaning.
Learn with examples for Prefix: Infra, Intra, Inter, Iso, Mal, Macro, Mega, Micro, Neo, Noct, Para, Per, Peri, Poly, Pre, Post, Retro, super, supra, tachy
Infra- below, under
Intra- within
Inter- between
Iso- equal, same
Mal- bad, poor
Macro- large
Mega- large
Micro- small
Neo- new
Noct- Night
Para- by the side of
Per- through
Peri- surrounding, around
Poly- many
Pre- before
Post- after
Retro- backward, behind
Super- above, excessive
Supra- Above
Tachy- fast
Prefix: Infra-
Meaning: below, under
Infraareolar: below the areola
Infrabuccal: beneath or at the bottom of the cheek.
Infraorbital: Below the orbit (of the eye)
Infrarenal: located below the kidney.
Infrasplenic: inferior to the spleen.
Prefix: Intra-
Meaning: within
Intra-abdominal: Within the cavity of the abdomen.
Intra-arterial: Within (or into) an artery.
Intra-venous: inside the veins.
Intravascular: refers to anything inside blood vessels, including the internal surface of veins and arteries.
Intravaginal: within the vagina.
Prefix: Inter-
Meaning: between
Interdigit: The area of a hand or foot between adjacent fingers or toes.
Intercostal: between the ribs.
Interfollicular: occurring or existing between follicles.
Interlaminar: between the ectoderm and endoderm.
Intermaxillary: between the maxillae.
Prefix: Iso-
Meaning: equal, same
Isogenic: refers to having same genes.
Prefix: Mal-
Meaning: bad, poor
Malabsorption: It refers to abnormality in digestion or absorption of food nutrients across the GI tract.
Malnutrition: Lack of adequate nourishment.
Malunion: It refers to bad or incorrect union.
Malformation: It refers to abnormal formation.
Malocclusion: A misalignment of the upper and lower sets of teeth.
Prefix: Macro- , Mega-
Meaning: large
Macrocephaly: A condition in which the head is abnormally large.
Macrosome: Any relatively large organelle in a cell.
Megabladder: An abnormally enlarged urinary bladder.
Prefix: Micro
Meaning: small
Microaneurysm: An extremely small aneurysm.
Microangiopathy: Angiopathy of the small blood vessels.
Microcolon: It is the radiologic finding of a colon of tiny caliber on barium- enema examination of newborn infants.
Microdontia: It is a condition in which one or more teeth appear smaller than normal.
Microglossia: The presence of an abnormally small tongue.
Prefix: Neo
Meaning: new
Neonatal: pertaining to the period of time immediately following birth, or to the newborn.
Neoplasm: It refers to abnormal new growth of cells, also known as tumor.
Neovascularization: It refers to the formation of new blood vessels.
Prefix: Noct
Meaning: night
Nocturia: It is the medical term for excessive urination at night.
Nocturnal enuresis: It is also called as bedwetting, is involuntary urination while asleep after the age at which bladder control usually begins.
Prefix: Para
Meaning: by the side of, beside, near, resembling
Parathyroid: Four pea-sized glands located in the neck near the thyroid.
Paraurethral cysts: It is also known as Skene’s glands, found in the wall of the vagina near the urethra.
Paravaginal: Adjacent to the wall of the vagina.
Paraventricular: Adjacent to a ventricle.
Paratyphoid: resembling typhoid.
Prefix: Per
Meaning: through
Percutaneous: It refers to any medical procedure where access to inner organs is achieved through the skin.
Peroral: Administered or performed through the mouth.
Perosseous: Taking place or performed through the bone.
Pertrochanteric: passing through the (greater) trochanter.
Prefix: Peri
Meaning: surrounding, around
Periarthritis: Inflammation of the tissues around a joint.
Peribuccal: surrounding a cheek.
Periorbital: surrounding the orbit of the eyes.
Pericystitis: Inflammation of the tissues surrounding the bladder.
Peridiverticulitis: Inflammation of the tissues surrounding an intestinal diverticulum.
Prefix: Poly
Meaning: many
Polyopia: It refers to the perception of more than one image of a single object especially with one eye.
Polyorchism: It refers to the medical condition of having more than two testicles.
Polyosteoarthritis: It occurs when five or more joints are affected with joint pain.
Polysinusitis: Simultaneous inflammation of two or more sinuses.
Polysplenia: It is a congenital disease manifested by multiple small accessary spleens rather than a single, full-sized, normal spleen.
Prefix: Pre
Meaning: before
Prematurity: It is the birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks gestational age, as opposed to the usual about 40 weeks.
Premenstrual syndrome: It is a collection of symptoms that many women experience in the weeks before their period.
Preprocedural: Prior to a procedure.
Prefix: Post
Meaning: after
Postlaminectomy syndrome: It is a condition where the patient suffers from persistent pain in the back following surgery to the back.
Postmastectomy: After a mastectomy.
Postmenopausal: It refers to the time period after menopause has occurred.
Postoperative care: Care given after surgery until the patient is discharged from the hospital or surgicenter
Postpartum: It refers to the period just after delivery.
Prefix: Retro
Meaning: backward, behind
Retrobulbar block: It refers to the regional anesthetic nerve block in the retrobulbar space, the area located behind the globe of the eye.
Retroperitoneal: It is the anatomical space in the abdominal cavity behind the peritoneum.
Retropharyngeal abscess: It is an abscess located in the tissues in the back of the throat behind the posterior pharyngeal wall (the retropharyngeal space).
Prefix: Super
Meaning: above, excessive
Supernumerary tooth: A supernumerary tooth is one that is additional to the normal series and can be found in almost any region of the dental arch.
Prefix: Supra
Meaning: above
Supraeruption: Eruption of a tooth above the standard occlusal plane.
Supraglottis: The upper part of the larynx, including the epiglottis; the area above the vocal cords.
Suprarenal: These are small, triangular-shaped glands located on top of both kidneys.
Prefix: Tachy
Meaning: fast
Tachycardia: It is the medical term for a heart rate over 100 beats per minute.
Tachygastria: An increase in the cyclic electrical activity in the stomach.
Tachypnea: It is a respiratory condition that results in fast and shallow breathing.
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