Understanding Latin Prefixes in (Primarily) Medical Terminology

Latin Prefixes *Hook Word (mnemonic for memorization) A-, Ab-; away from Absent (word hook) Ad-; to, towards addition Ambi- (Ambo-, amb-, am-, an-); around, on both sides ambivalent Ante-; before, forward antebellum Antero-, anterior; before, front or forward part (Anterior) (see: antero-) Bi- (bis-, bin-); twice Bicycle Circum-; around circumference Contra- (Counter- often before vowels); against, opposite contraindicated De-; down from, away deficient Extra-, extro-; beyond, on the other side, outer (extrapulmonary, extraligamentous) external, extraordinary Infra-; below, lower (Inferior, infraspinatus, infrascapular, infracostal) Inferior Inter-; between (intervascular, interosseous) interloper Intra-; within, inside, during (intracervical) Intra-racism Juxta-; beside (juxtarticular, juxtaspinal) Juxtaposition Ob- (o-, oc-, op-); against, in the way, facing (occiput) object, objective Post-; after, behind (Posterior, Postcerebral, postnatal) poster Postero-; behind (Posterior, posterolateral, posterosuperior) postscript Prae- (pre); before, in front of (precordium) preclude Retro-; backward, behind (retroflexion, retronasal) retrograde Semi-; half (semiorbicular) semicircle Sub- (suc-, suf-, sup, sus-); under, below, near, somewhat (subdorsal, subcutis) submarine Super- (sur-); over, above (Superior) superior Supra-; Above, upon (supra-axillary, supraspinatus, suprapelvic) (see: super-) Trans- (often tran- before ‘s’); across, through (Transverse, transverse Abdominous, tranverse plane) Transcript Ultra-, ultro-; beyond, excessive (ultraligation, ultrasetaceous) ultra-runner, ultraviolet