Medical Prefixes and Their Meanings

Front

a-

Back

without (e.g., aphasia - without speech)

Front

an-

Back

without (e.g., anoxia - without oxygen)

Front

anti-

Back

against (e.g., antibiotic - against life)

Front

brady-

Back

slow (e.g., bradycardia - slow heartbeat)

Front

de-

Back

without (e.g., dehydration - without water)

Front

dys-

Back

painful, difficult, abnormal (e.g., dysuria - painful urination; dyspnea - difficulty breathing; dystrophy - abnormal development)

Front

pachy-

Back

thick (e.g., pachyderma - thick skin)

Front

pseudo-

Back

false (e.g., pseudocyesis - false pregnancy)

Front

tachy-

Back

fast (e.g., tachycardia - fast heartbeat)

Front

ante-

Back

in front of (e.g., anteorbital - in front of eye socket)