Prefixes and Suffixes
You will soon discover that the discipline of modern science is filled with many fresh, dynamic ideas and well-tested,
reliable concepts. These ideas and concepts are described using scientific terminology. Your ability to break down each new word into its
components can help you master this unique vocabulary.
The table that follows contains the root prefix or suffix, its meaning, and an example of several of the common terms used in
our scientific studies.
| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
A |
|
| a-- |
prefix |
lack of |
aphasia (lack of speech) |
| ad-- |
prefix |
to, toward, near to |
adrenal (near the kidney) |
| aeros-- |
prefix |
air |
aerobic (with air) |
| an-- |
prefix |
without |
anaerobic (without O2) |
| ante-- |
prefix |
before, forward |
antediluvian (before a flood) |
| anti-- |
prefix |
against |
antibody |
| archae-- |
prefix |
old, ancient |
archaeology, archaebacteria |
| --asis |
suffix |
condition, state of being |
homeostasis |
| auto-- |
prefix |
self |
autoimmune |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
B |
|
| bi-- |
prefix |
twice, double |
bicuspid (two cusps) |
| bio-- |
prefix |
live |
biology (study of living) |
| --blast |
suffix |
bud, germ |
fibroblast (fiber producing cell) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
C |
|
|
|
|
|
| carn-- |
prefix |
flesh |
carnivore (flesh eater) |
| cata-- |
prefix |
down |
catabolism (break down) |
| cephal-- |
prefix |
head |
cephalopod (head foot) |
| --cele |
suffix |
hollow |
blastocele (hollow cavity) |
| chloros-- |
prefix |
green |
chlorophyll |
| chondro-- |
prefix |
cartilage |
chondrocyte (cartilage cell) |
| con-- |
prefix |
together |
convergent |
| --cyte |
suffix |
cell |
leukocyte (white blood cell) |
| chromo-- |
prefix |
colored |
chromosome (colored body) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
D |
|
| de-- |
prefix |
away from |
dehydrate (remove water) |
| derm-- |
prefix |
skin |
epidermis (on the skin) |
| di-- |
prefix |
two |
disaccharide (two sugars) |
| --duct |
suffix |
leading, drawing |
abduct (lead away) |
| dys-- |
prefix |
bad, difficult |
dysmentia (bad mind) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
E |
|
| --ectomy |
suffix |
cut out |
appendectomy |
| --edem |
suffix |
swell |
myoedema (swelling of a muscle) |
| --emia |
suffix |
blood |
anemia (without blood, deficiency) |
| endo-- |
prefix |
within |
endocardium (within the heart) |
| ecto-- |
prefix |
on the outer side of |
ectoderm (outer skin) |
| epi-- |
prefix |
upon |
epidermis (on the skin) |
| erythro-- |
prefix |
red |
erythrocyte (red blood cell) |
| eu-- |
prefix |
true, well |
eukaryote (true seed) |
| ex-- |
prefix |
out, away from |
exhale (breathe out) |
| exo-- |
prefix |
outside, on outer side |
exoskeleton |
| extra-- |
prefix |
outside |
extracellular |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
G |
|
| gastro-- |
prefix |
stomach |
gastropod (stomach foot) |
| --genesis |
suffix |
origin |
parthenogenesis (maiden origin) |
| gymnos-- |
prefix |
naked |
gymnosperm (naked seed) |
| glyco-- |
prefix |
sugar, sweet |
glycolysis (sugar break down) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
H |
|
| halo-- |
prefix |
salt |
halophilic (salt loving) |
| haplo-- |
prefix |
single |
haploid (one set of chromosomes) |
| hemi-- |
prefix |
half |
hemisphere |
| hemo-- |
prefix |
blood |
hemoglobin |
| hetero-- |
prefix |
different, other |
heterozygous (different zygotes) |
| homo(homeo) |
prefix |
same |
homologous (alike in structure) |
| hydro-- |
prefix |
water |
hydroelectric |
| hyper-- |
prefix |
over, excessive |
hyperactivity |
| hypo-- |
prefix |
under, below |
hypotension |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
I |
|
| inter-- |
prefix |
between |
intercostal (between the ribs) |
| intra-- |
prefix |
within |
intracellular (within the cell) |
| iso-- |
prefix |
same, equal |
isotonic (same tonicity) |
| --itis |
suffix |
inflammation |
gastritis (inflammation of stomach) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
K |
|
| --karyon |
suffix |
seed |
prokaryote (first seed) |
| kin-- |
prefix |
moving |
kinetic |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
L |
|
| leuko-- |
prefix |
white |
leukocyte (white blood cell) |
| lip-- |
prefix |
fat |
lipolysis (fat break down) |
| --logy |
suffix |
study of |
archaeology |
| --lysis |
suffix |
loosen, break down |
lysosome (enzyme body) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
M |
|
| macro-- |
prefix |
large |
macromolecule |
| mal-- |
prefix |
bad |
malnutrition |
| mega-- |
prefix |
large, great |
megaspore |
| meso-- |
prefix |
middle |
mesoderm |
| meta-- |
prefix |
after, beyond |
metaphase |
| micro-- |
prefix |
small |
microscope |
| mono-- |
prefix |
single, one |
monosaccharide (one sugar) |
| morph-- |
prefix |
form |
morpholoy (study of shape) |
| myo-- |
prefix |
muscle |
myocardium (heart muscle) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
N |
|
| neo-- |
prefix |
new |
neonatal (newest life) |
| nephro-- |
prefix |
kidney |
nephrectomy (kidney removal) |
| neuro-- |
prefix |
nerve |
neuron |
| nodus |
- |
knot |
lymph node (mass of lymph) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
O |
|
| oligo-- |
prefix |
few |
oligotrophic (little nutrition) |
| omni-- |
prefix |
all |
omnivore |
| osteo-- |
prefix |
bone |
osteocyte (bone cell) |
| ovum-- |
prefix |
egg |
oviduct |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
P |
|
| paleo-- |
prefix |
ancient |
paleontology (study of the old) |
| para-- |
prefix |
beside |
paranasal (beside the nose) |
| peri-- |
prefix |
around |
periosteum (around the bone) |
| phago-- |
prefix |
eat |
phagocyte (eating cell) |
| --pod |
suffix |
foot |
isopod (same feet) |
| poly-- |
prefix |
many |
polymer |
| protos-- |
prefix |
first |
protocell |
| pseudo-- |
prefix |
false |
pseudopodia (false feet) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
R |
|
| re-- |
prefix |
back,again |
reflect (bend back) |
| --rhiza |
suffix |
root |
mycorrhiza (fungi root) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
S |
|
| sarco-- |
prefix |
flesh, fleshy |
sarcoma (tissue tumor) |
| --soma |
suffix |
body |
chromosome (colored body) |
| --sperma |
suffix |
seed |
angiosperm (covered seed) |
| --stasis |
suffix |
stopped, staying |
homeostasis (staying the same) |
| sym-- |
prefix |
together, with |
symbiosis (life together) |
| syn-- |
prefix |
together |
synapse (neural junction) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
T |
|
| telos-- |
prefix |
end |
telophase |
| terra-- |
prefix |
Earth |
terrestrial |
| --therm |
suffix |
heat |
endotherm (heat within) |
| --troph |
suffix |
nourish |
autotroph (self nourisher) |
| trans-- |
prefix |
across |
transatlantic |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
U |
|
| uni-- |
prefix |
one |
unicellular |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
X |
|
| xeros-- |
prefix |
dry |
xerophyte (dry loving) |
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| Root |
Prefix / Suffix |
Meaning |
Example |
|
|
Z |
|
| zoo-- |
prefix |
animal |
zoology (study of animals) |
| --zygo |
suffix |
joined, paired |
homozygous (similarly paired) |
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