Useful Biological Prefixes and Suffixes

LABORATORYLatin and Greek Roots Pg. 1How to Speak GreekUseful Biological Prefixes and SuffixesPrefix or suffix Meaning Examplesa- not, without atypicalab- from, away abnormalacantho- spine Acanthocephala-ad- to, toward dorsad, adherealbi- white albicans-algia pain neuralgiaamyl- starch amylopsinan- not, without anhydrousana- up, upon anabolismancylo- bent ancylostomaangio- vessel angiocarditisante- before, in front of anterioranti- against, opposed to antitoxin, antibodyapo- off, from, away from apoplexyaqua- water aquatic-ase designating an enzyme amylaseauto- self autosuggestionbi- two, twice biceps, bifocalbio- life biologybrachy- short brachycardia

Latin and Greek Roots Pg. 2Prefix or suffix Meaning Examplesbrady- slow bradycardiacalor- heat calorimeter-cara head Toxocaracardia- heart bradycardia-cephal- head Acanthocephala, cephalic-cera horn brachycera-cerca tail Onchocercacerebro- brain cerebrospinal-chezia defecate hematocheziachrom- color chromosome-cidal killing bacteriocidalcorpus- body corpuscle-cyst bladder oocyst-cyte, cyto- cell cytoplasm-dermic skin hypodermicdi- two, twice dichromicdia- through, between diaphragmdys- bad, difficult dyspepsia-ectomy cut out appendectomyem-, en-, endo- in, into embolism, endoskeleton-emia blood anemiaentero- intestine enterokinaseepi- on, above, upon epiglottiserythro- red erythrocyte-fer- to carry, to transport afferent, efferent-fract- to break fracture, refraction-gastro- stomach pneumogastric

Latin and Greek Roots Pg. 3Prefix or suffix Meaning Examples-gen- to produce, to begin genetics, glycogen-glosso- tongue hypoglossalglyc- glucose, sugar glycosuria-gnath- jaw, cheek gnathostoma-gnosis knowledge, to know diagnosis-graph to write cardiograph-helminth worm anthelminthichemo- blood hemorrhagehetero- different, other heterozygoushomo- alike, same homozygoushydro- water hydrolytichyper- over, more than hypersecretionhypo- under, less than hyposecretion-iasis infestation onchocerciasisinter- between, together intercostalintra- within intrathoracicir- not irregular-itis inflammation appendicitiskata-, cata- down catabolismkin- to move or activate kinetic-lac- milk lactase, prolactinleuco-, leuko- white leucocyte-ology science, knowledge physiologylymph-, lympho- lymph lymphocyte-lysin, -lysis, -lytic dissolve, destroy hemolysismacro- large macrophagemelan-, melen- black melanoma, melena

Latin and Greek Roots Pg. 4Prefix or suffix Meaning Examples-meter measure manometermicro- small microorganism-monas a unit Trichomonasmono- one monocyte, monosaccharidemyo- muscle myosin, myoglobinnema- thread nematodeneur- relating to nerves neurilemmanephr- kidneys nephritis-oid like lymphoid, ameboid-ole small bronchiole-oma swelling, tumor sarcomaoncho- hook Onchocercaonco- mass, bulk oncosphereoo- egg oocyst-opia sight myopia, hyperopia-osis condition or process cyanosis, phagocytosisos-, oste-, osteo- bone osteology, osteocyteovi- egg oviducy, ovipositorpara- near, by, beside parathyroidpatho- disease, suffering pathologyperi- around, near pericardiumphago- to eat phagocyte-phil- loving basophil, eosinophilpiro- pear piroplasm-plasm- substance cytoplasm, plasmolysisplaty- broad Platyhelminthes-pnea breathing dyspnea

Latin and Greek Roots Pg. 5Prefix or suffix Meaning Examplespneumo- air, lungs pneumonia-ped foot pseudopedpoly- many polysaccharidepost- after, behind postganglionicpro- before, giving rise to proenzymeproprio- one's own proprioceptorspseudo- false pseudopedpsycho- mind psychologypulmo- lung pulmonarypyri- pear pyriform-renal kidney adrenal-rrhea flow diarrheasarco- flesh, muscle sarcoplasmschizo- to divide schizontseta, setae bristle trailing setaesoma- body somatic cell-some body chromosome-stadial stage, period transstadialsteato- , stea- fat steatorrheastercor- feces stercorolith, stercoralisstoma- mouth Ancylostoma-strongyle cylinder Trichostrongylus-taxisarrangement, directionalmovement in response to astimulusphototaxis-thrombo- clot, coagulation thrombosis-tode like nematode-tome, -tomy to cut tonsillectomy

Latin and Greek Roots Pg. 6Prefix or suffix Meaning Examplestoxi-, toxo- poison toxintrans- across, over, through transstadialtri- three triploidtricho- hair-like Trichostrongylus-trophic, tropho- feeding autotrophic-tropic, tropism turning phototropic-ule small saccule-uria pertains to urine glycosuria-uris tail Trichurisvaso- pertains to blood vessel vasodilation-zoite (-zoon) animal trophozoite