Transcript Medical Terminology

Chapter 3. Prefix
A prefix is a short word part added
before a word or word root to modify its
meaning. Not all medical terms contain
prefixes, but if present, the prefix can
have an important influence on the
meaning of the term.
1
Prefix Classification
Prefix for basic condition:
mal-maltreat, malnutrition, malaria
hypo- hypotension, hypoxia
 Prefix for time, direction or position
extra- extracellular
intra-intracellular

2

Prefix for relationship
iso-
Isotope: 1H（氕protium）, 2H（氘deuterium）,
3H（氚tritium）
isomer :
C2H6O
甲醚methyl ether CH3-O-CH3
乙醇ethanol CH3-CH2-OH
C4H10
丁烷butane (CH3-CH2-CH2-CH3)
异丁烷isobutane [CH3-CH(CH3)-CH3]
3
Prefix for numbers
Uniunicellular

an amoeba,
an unicellular
organism
4
Commonly used prefix
Table 1 Negative prefix
Prefix
Meaning
Example
a-, ananti-
not, without
against
asepsis
antidote
Definition of example
free of infectious organism
means for counteracting a
poison
contra- against,
contraindication condition or factor that
opposite
increases the risks involved in
using a particular drug
de- down, without deoxidation removal of oxygen
dis- absence, opposite dissect
to separate tissues for
separation
anatomical study
in-,im
not
inactive
without activity
nonnot
noninfectious
not able to spread disease
5
6
Table 2 Prefix for numbers
Prefix
mono-
Meaning
Example
one
monoxide
Definition of example
any oxide containing just one
atom of oxygen in the molecule
unione
unicellular
composed of one cell
hemihalf,
hemiplegia
condition in which one-half of
one side
a patient's body is paralyzed
semihalf,
semipermeable a membrane that will allow
partial
certain molecules or ions to
pass through
oligo- few, little oligosaccharide a saccharide polymer
containing a small number
(typically three to ten) of
component sugars
polymany
polymer
a large molecule composed of
repeating structural units
7
Scheme of semipermeable membrane during hemodialysis,
where red is blood, blue is the dialysing fluid, and yellow is
the membrane.Hemodialysis can remove waste products in
blood.
8
semi-, hemi-= one half



semi/permeable membrane: a membrane that
will allow certain molecules or ions to pass
through
semi-synthesis: partial chemical synthesis is a
type of chemical synthesis that uses
compounds isolated from natural sources (e.g.
plant material or bacterial or cell cultures) as
starting materials
hemi/plegia :condition in which one-half of a
patient's body is paralyzed
ampicillin氨苄青霉素
penicillin青霉素
amoxicillin阿莫西林
Mono-,uni-, haplo- =one
Monoarthritis: inflammation of one joint at a
time.
 unicellular: composed of only one cell
 haploid: A set of chromosomes containing only
one member of each chromosome pair.
The sperm and egg are haploid.
Somatic cells are diploid.

Di-, bi- = two


dimer: is a chemical or biological entity
consisting of two identical subunits called
monomers.
biphenyl:
Amphi-, ampho- = double, both


amphoteric compound: substance that can
react as either an acid or base, such as amino
acid.
amphiphilic compound:
possessing both hydrophilic
and lipophilic properties
Tri-, tert = three






Triose: is a monosaccharide containing three carbon
atoms.
tertiary structure of protein: its three dimensional
structure
primary carbon atom: one carbon neighbor
secondary carbon atom: two carbon neighbors
tertiary carbon atom: three carbon neighbors
quaternary carbon atom: four carbon neighbors
Tetra- = four

Tetracycline: is a broad-spectrum antibiotic
produced by the Streptomyces genus,
indicated for use against many bacterial
infections
Pento- = five
Pentose: a monosaccharide with
five carbon atoms.
 Pentagastrin: a synthetic
pentapeptide that has effects
like gastrin when given
parenterally. It stimulates
the secretion of gastric acid,
pepsin and intrinsic factor.

Hexa- = six
Hepta- = seven
Octo- = eight octopus
Nona- = nonamer
Deca- = decahydroquinoline
Holo- = whole

Holoenzyme: An active, complex enzyme
consisting of an apoenzyme and a cofactor
 Some enzymes do not need any additional
components to show full activity。However, others
require non-protein molecules called cofactors to be
bound for activity。Cofactors can be either inorganic
(e.g., metal ions) or organic compounds (e.g. heme).

Holoenzyme= apoenzyme + cofactor
Mero- = part


meropia:partial blindness
meronecrosis : progressively death of cells.
Table 3 Prefix for direction
Prefix
Meaning
abaway from
adtoward, near
Example
abarticulation
adrenal
dia-
dialysis
through
pertransana-
through
through
up,
back again
peroral
transdermal
anabolism
cata-
downward
catabolism
Definition of example
dislocation of a joint
the endocrine glands that
sit on top of the kidney
separation (-lysis) by
passage through a membrane
through the mouth
across the skin
the set of metabolic
pathways that construct
molecules from smaller units
the set of metabolic pathways
which break down molecules
into smaller units
20
21
Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (谷丙转氨酶)
GPT
Glutamate
(谷氨酸)
pyruvate
（丙酮酸）
oxoglutarate
（ 酮戊二酸）
alanine
（丙氨酸）
SGPT test
This enzyme is found in many body tissues in small
amounts, but it is very concentrated in the liver. It is
released into the blood when cells that contain it are
damaged.
Indication：
hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatoma
22
Table 4 Prefix for degree
Prefix
Meaning
Example
hyper- over, excess
hypertension
abnormally high,
increased
hypo- under, below
hypoxia
panall
panacea
super- above, excess supercentrifuge
Definition of example
high blood pressure
decreased oxygen in
the tissues
remedy that cures all ills
centrifuge that can work
at very high speed
23
Table 5 Prefix for size and comparison
Prefix
Meaning
Example
Definition of example
eudys-
true, good
eukaryocyte
bad, painful, dysbolisim
difficult
hetero- other, different, heterocycle
unequal
cell with a real nucleus
abnormality in metabolism
homo- same,
unchanging
iso- equal, same
organic compounds
containing at least one
element other than carbon
within a ring structure
the dimer formed from two
same monomers
different types of atoms of
the same chemical element
compounds with the same
molecular formula but
different structure
different
homodimer
isotope
isomer
24
Table 5 (continued)
Prefix
macro-
Meaning
Example
large,
macrocyte
abnormally large
Definition of example
extremely large red blood
cell
mega-,
large,
megacardia a medical condition
abnormally large
wherein the heart is enlarged
megalomicro
small
microorganism
very tiny creatures
neonew
neomycin
新霉素
tachyfast
tachycardia a heartrate that exceeds the
range of the normal resting
heartrate
bradyslow
bradycardia a resting heart rate of
under 60 beats per minute
25
benzene
furane
pyrrole
thiophene
iminazole
26
Table 6 Prefix for time and position
Prefix
Meaning
antebefore
pre- before,in front of
pro- before,in front of
Example
antemortem
precancer
proenzyme
postafter,behind
ec-,ecto- out,outside
postoperative
ectoenzyme
ex/o- away from; outside
extra- out,outside
endoin;within
exoenzyme
extracellular
endocsope
Definition of example
before death
cancer at early stage
an inactive enzyme
precursor
after operation
an enzyme that is
secreted by a cell and
that works outside that
cell
outside a cell
device for viewing the
inside of a cavity or
organ
27
Table 6 (continued)
Prefix
syn-
Meaning
with,together
Example
synapse
Definition of example
a junction between two
nerve cells
epi- over,upon,on
epithelial cell
cells that line the
cavities and surfaces of
structures
subunder
substrate
a molecule that is
acted upon by an enzyme
para- beside,alongside
parasite
an organism which
exploits another organism
for the purpose of staying alive
mesomiddle
mesencephalon
midbrain
periaround
perihepatitis
inflammation around liver
28
29
Prefix forColors


ChromChromosome:A
chromosome is a single
piece of DNA that contains
many genes, regulator
elements and other
nucleotide sequences. It is
so named because of their
property of being stained
very strongly by some dyes.
erythro-= red
erythro/cyte: A cell that contains hemoglobin
and can carry oxygen to the body. Also called
a red blood cell (RBC). The reddish color is
due to the hemoglobin.
 Erythromycin: antibiotic
produced by
Saccharopolyspora
Erythraea(糖多孢红霉菌 )

Leuko-, albo- =white

leuko/cyte: are colorless cells of the immune
system defending the body against both
infectious disease and foreign materials
Albinism: a hereditary
disease characterized by
a partial or total lack of
melanin pigment in the
eyes, skin and hair.

Melano- = black

Melanin:A skin pigment (substance that gives the skin
its color). Dark-skinned people have more melanin
than light- skinned people. Melanin also acts as a
sunscreen and protects the skin from ultraviolet light.
Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes. It
provides some protection against skin damage from
the sun, and the melanocytes increase their production
of melanin in response to sun exposure. Freckles,
which occur in people of all races, are small,
concentrated areas of increased melanin production.
Chloro- = green
chlorine(Cl2):a pale green gas
 chlorophyll:a green pigment
found in most plants
 anerythrochloropsia: colour
blindness that can not distinguish red from
green

Cyano- = blue

cyanobacteria: also known as
blue-green algae, the name "cyanobacteria"
comes from the color of the bacteria. They live
in the water, and can manufacture their own
food. Because they are bacteria, they are quite
small and usually unicellular
Polio- = pale, grey

Poliomyelitis ：often called
polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute
viral infectious disease。Although around 90% of polio
infections cause no symptoms at all, affected
individuals can exhibit a range of symptoms if the virus
enters the blood stream。In about 1% of cases the
virus enters the central nervous system, preferentially
infecting and destroying motor neurons, leading to
muscle weakness and acute paralysis。
Vio- = purple

Ultraviolet：is the radiation with a wavelength
shorter than that of visible light, but longer than
x-rays, in the range 400 nm to 10 nm, It is so
Color
Wavelength
named because its
violet
380–450 nm
frequency is higher
blue
450–495 nm
than the color violet
green
495–570 nm
yellow
orange
red
570–590 nm
590–620 nm
620–750 nm
1. The -ist in the word neurologist is a:
a. prefix
b. root
c. suffix
d. combining form
e. conjunction
2. Endo- in endoscopic is a:
a. root
b. suffix
c. combining form
d. prefix
e. derivation
3 Monoclonal refers to a colony (clone) derived
from_________cell(s).
4. To unify means to make two or more parts into
_____________ part(s).
5.The term semilunar means _________ moon(s).
6. A multicellular organism has _________cell(s).
39
7. _____ 1. pandemic
_____ 2. hyposecretion
_____ 3. hypertension
_____ 4. oligodontia
_____ 5. superficial
8. _____ 1. endonasal
_____ 2. syndrome
_____ 3. mesoderm
_____ 4. ectocardia
_____ 5. postnasal
a. located at the surface (above other
structures)
b. less than the normal number of teeth
c. underproduction of a substance
d. disease affecting an entire population
e. high blood pressure
a. placement of the heart outside its
normal position
b. middle layer of the developing embryo
c. behind the nose
d. within the nose
e. group of symptoms occurring together
40
9.Identify and define the prefix in each of
the following words:
Amorphous
Disintegrant
Antibody
Adjacent
Homothermic
Euthanasia
Prodrome
41