Download Biology Prefixes and Suffixes

Biology Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefix
Meaning
Example and definition of example
-a
Asexual (without sex)
AbAdAerAmbiAmphi-
Without, negative,
not
Away from
Toward, near
Aerobic
On both sides
Double, both
AmylAna-
Starch
Upward, back, again
AndrAngio-
Man
Vessel
AnteAnthroAnti-
Before
Flower
Against
ArthAsco-
Joint
Sac, bag
AutoBiBioBrachiaBradyBronchiBryoCalorCardiCarpCataCaud-
Self
Two
Life
Upper arm, forelimb
Slow
windpipe
Moss
Heat
Heart
Fruit
Down, lower, under
Tail
Amylase (starch enzyme)
Anaplasia (cell reverting to an immature
form, as seen in malignant tumors)
Androgen (male hormone)
Angiotensin (neurotransmitter vessel
peptide)
Antenatal (before birth)
Anthrophyta (flowering plants division)
Antibodies (proteins that work against
invaders)
Arthritis (joint inflammation)
Ascomycete (fungi whose spores are
produed in a sac)
Autotroph (self nourishing)
Biennial (two year life span plant)
Biology (the study of life)
Brachium (arm-like part of an animal)
Bradycardia (slow heart beat)
bronchioles (small tubes in the lungs)
Byrophyte (mosses)
Calorie
Cardiovascular
Carples
Catabolic
Caudal
Abnormal (departing from normally_
Adrenal (toward the kidneys)
(with oxygen)
Ambidextrous (capable of using both hands)
Amphibian (lives on both land and water)
CephalChlorchole
ChondrChromCircumCole-
Head
Green
Bile
Cartilage
Color
Around
Hollow
ConContraCostCounterCrani-
With, together
Against
Rib
Against
Skull
CryptCutCyst-
Un-
Hidden
Skin
Sac or vesicle,
bladder
Cell
Finger, toe, digit
Skin
Two
Across, through
Double
Abnormal, impaired,
difficulty
Not
UniUr-
One
Urine
VasVitXanthXeno-
vessel
Life
Yellow
Strange, foreign
CytoDactylDermdiDiaDiploDys-
Cephalization
Chlorophyll
Cholesterol
Chondroma
chromoplast
Circumcise
Coelom (body cavity that seperates the gut
from the outer body wall)
Conjugation
contraception
Costal
Countercurrent exchange
Craniometer (instrument used to measure
the skull)
Cryptozoology
cutical
cystocele
Cytosol
Dactylogram
dermis
disaccharide
diaphragm
Diploid cell
dysplasia
Unsaturated (not saturated; capable of
dissolving more of a substance)
Unicellular (having a single cell)
Ureter (duct leading from the kidneys to
the urinary bladder)
vasodilation (dilation of a blood vessel
Vitalism
Xanthophyll (yellow plant pigment)
xenotransplantation (surgical removal and
transplantation of an organ or tissue from
one species to a different species)
XeroZoo-
Dry
Animal
Xeroderma (abnormally dry skin)
Zoologist ( a person who studies animals and
animal life)
Zygote (a fertilized cell)
zymurgy (branch of chemistry concerned
with fermentation processes)
ZygZym-
Yoke, union
Ferment
Macro-
Large
Macroeudution
MalMegMelanMeningMentMerMesaMetaMicroMillMonoMorphMycMyoFilFlagellFlavReRetro-
Bad, Abnormal
Great, large
Black
Membrane
Mind
Part, partial
Middle
After, behind
Small
Thousand
One
Form, shape
Fungi
Muscle
Thread
Whip
Yellow
Back again
Backward, behind
RhizEcto-
Root
Outer, external
En-
In
Encephal-
Brain
End-, Endo-
within
Malformation
Megaloncephaly
Melanin
Meninges
Mental
Meropia
Mesaphyll
Metastasis
Microscopic
Milliliter
Monocots
Morphogenesis
Mycorrhize
Myoglobin
Filum( a thread-like anatomical structure)
Flagella (whiplike structures)
Flavin (water-soluble yellow pigments)
Regeneration (Re-growth of a body part)
Retrolental (occurring behind the lens of
the eye)
Rhizoids (root-like structures in some fungi)
Ectotherm (An organism that uses external
heat to regulate it’s body temperature)
Endothelium (Innermost layer of cells lining
blood vessels)
Encephalogram (A graphical recording of the
brain’s electrical activity)
Endotherm (Organism that generates heat
Epi-
Above
ErythroEu-
red
Good, well, true
Ex-
Out of, outer
Extra-
Outside, beyond
GamGastr
United, jointed,
sexual
Stomach, Belly
Gemm-
bud
GenGeoGlyco-
Produce, to give
birth
Earth
Sugar, sweet
Gnath-
jaw
GonoGymno-
Seed, sexual,
reproductive
Naked
Gyn-
women
HaploHem-
Single
Blood
Hemi-
Half, partial
internally to maintain a constant body
temperature)
Epiphyte (A plant that grows on the surface
of another plant for support)
Erythrocyte (red blood cell)
Eukaryote (Organism whose cells contains a
“true” membrane bound nucleus)
Exoskeleton (hard outer surface that
provides support or protection for an
organism)
Extracellular (locating or occurring outside
a cell)
Gametes (egg or sperm that unite during
sexual reproduction)
Gastric juice (Acidic fluid secretes by the
stomach)
Gemmule (A small bud-like reproductive
structure found in some sponges)
Genital (Of or relating to biological
reproductive organs)
Geothermal
Glycolysis (metabolic pathway that involves
the splitting of sugars (glucose) into pyruvic
acid)
Agnatha (A superclass of fish that lack
jaws)
Gonophore (a structure within a
reproductive organ or part)
gymnosperms (vascular plants that bear
naked or unenclosed seeds
gynecology (branch of science that deals
with diseases and disorders of the female
reproductive organs)
haploid (having a single set of chromosomes
hemoglobin (iron containing protein in red
blood cells)
hemiparasite (organism that is able to live
either as a parasite or independently)
HepatHetero-
Liver
Other, different
HistHolo-
Tissue
Whole
Homo-
Same
Hydro-
Water
Hyper-
Above, excessive
Hypo-
Inter-
Under, beneath,
lacking
Not
Below, beneath,
inferior
Between
IntraIso-
Within
Equal
Karyo-
Nucleus, nut
Kerat-
Horn, cornea
LactLeukLith-
Milk
White
Stone; joint or limb
Lute-
Yellow
Necro-
Death, corpse
ImInfra-
hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
heterozygous (having two different alleles
for a given trait)
histoma (tumor derived from mature tissue)
holotrophs (organisms that eat other
organisms whole or in pieces)
homozygous (having two alleles for a given
trait that are the same)
hydrophilic (having an affinity for water;
water loving)
hyperthyroidism (condition resulting from
the excessive production of thyroid
hormones)
hypodermic (of or pertaining to the parts
under the skin)
Immobile (not moving)
infrasonic (having frequencies below those
of audible sound)
interstitial fluid (fluid filling space between
cells)
intraocular (occurring within the eyeball)
isogamy (fusion of male and female gametes
that are the same size and structure)
karyogamy (uniting of cell nuclei;
fertilization)
keratectomy (removal of a part of the
cornea)
lactose (milk sugar)
leukocytes (white blood cells)
lithosphere (the solid rocky crust of the
earth)
lutein (yellow carotenoid pigment found in
egg yolk, body fats and the tissues of the
corpus luteum)
necrobiosis (natural death of cells through
the process of aging)
Nemat-
Thread, thread-like
NeoNephNeuro-
New
Kidney
Nerve
OculOdontOlig-
eye
tooth
Few, little
oo-
Egg, ovum
Ophthalm-
Eye, eyeball
OrbOrthoOste-
Circle, sphere
Normal, straight,
upright
Bone
OvPara-
Egg
Around, near, beside
PathPed-
Disease
Child, children; foot
Pell-
Skin
Peri-
Around
Phago-
Eating
Phil-
Love
Phob-
Fear
nematocytes (thread-like stinging cells
found in Hydra)
neonatal (of or relating to newborn infants)
neonatal (of or relating to newborn infants)
neuroblast (embryonic cell that develops
into a nerve cell)
Oculus (an eye)
Odontoid (tooth-like)
oligosaccharide (a carbohydrate that
contains a small number of component
sugars)
oogenesis (formation and development of an
ovum)
ophthalmoscope (instrument for examining
the retina of the eye
orbis (round, ring, rotation; world)
orthostatic (relating to standing upright)
osteoporosis (abnormal reduction in the
amount of bone mass resulting in fragile
porous bones)
Ovum (female gamete, egg)
parathyroid (near or within the thyroid
gland)
pathogen (disease causing agent)
pediatrics (branch of medicine dealing with
infant and child care)
pedestrian (one who travels on foot)
pellagra (disease caused by a deficiency of
protein and niacin resulting in skin lesions)
pericardium (membranous sac surrounding
the heart)
phagocyte (a cell that engulfs and digests
waste materials and microorganisms)
philoprogenitive (relating to the love of
children)
phobia (abnormal irrational fear of a
PhrenPhyto-
Mind
Plant
Platy-
Flat
Pleur-
Rib, side, lateral
Pneum-
Lung
Pod-
Foot, foot-like
Polio-
Gray
Poly-
Many
PostPrePro-
After
Before, prior
Before, primary
Pseudo-
False
Psych-
Soul, mind
PteridoPub-
Fern
Adult
Per-
Pus
Pyro-
Fire, heat
Sacchar-
Sugar
specific thing)
phrenic (of or relating to the mind)
phytochrome (pigment involved in many plant
responses to light)
platypus (semiaquatic mammal with a broad
flat tail and a snout resembling a duck's bill)
pleurodont (teeth that are attached by
their sides to the inner side of the jaw)
pneumococcus (microorganism that causes a
disease of the lungs called bacterial
pneumonia)
podia (structures that resemble or function
as feet)
poliomyelitis (viral disease that causes
inflammation of the motor neurons or gray
matter of the brainstem and spinal cord)
polysome (many ribosomes attached to a
messenger RNA)
postmortem (occurring after death)
prepuce (foreskin covering the human penis)
protoderm (outer most primary meristem
that forms the epidermis of roots and
shoots)
pseudoscience (practice that resembles
science but is considered to be without
scientific foundation)
psychology (science that deals with mental
processes and behavior)
pteridology (the study of ferns)
puberty (stage of adolescence marked by
the functioning of sex glands; sexual
maturation into adulthood)
pyoderma (skin diseases associated with the
formation of or caused by pus)
pyrosis (burning sensation in the chest,
heartburn)
disaccharide (double sugar, example:
sucrose - composed of glucose and fructose)
Sapro-
Decay, rotten
Schis-
Split
saprophyte (organism that absorbs
nutrients from dead or decaying matter)
schizocarp (fruit that splits into several
closed one-seeded portions upon maturation)
SclerSemiSensSeptaSepticSomaSpermSpiroSporSquamStaphylStenoStomStrictSubSuperSupraSynSuffix
-asis
Blast
-duct
-Ferent
-form
-rrhagia
-rrhea
-ectomy
-emia
Meaning
Affected with, with
Bud or germ
To lead
Carry, bring
Shape
Excessive Flow
Flow, discharge
Remove, excise
blood
-genic
Producing,
Example and definition of example
Homeostasis (with a steady state)
Osteoblast (a cell from which bone is derived)
aqueduct
Afferent (carry inward to a central organ or region)
Bacilliform (rod shape)
Menorrhagia (abnormally heavy menstruation)
Diarrhea (frequent and watery bowel movements)
Tonsillectomy (removal of the tonsils)
Leukemia (form of cancer characterized by an
abnormal increase In the number of white blood cells
in the body)
carcinogenic (a cancer producing substance or agent)
-gram
-itis
-kinesis
-logy
-lunar
-lysis
-oma
-osis
-otomy
-ous
generating
Write, record
Inflammation
Movement, motion
Science of, study of
Of or relating to the
moon
Decomposition,
dissolving,
destruction
Tumor
Affected with,
condition, abnormal
process
Act of cutting,
incision
Characterized by,
full of
-pathy
-ped
Disease
Foot
-penia
-phagia
-philic
lacking, deficiency
Eating, swallowing
Love
-phore
-phyll
-plasm
Carry, bear
Leaf
Material forming
cells
Air, breathing
Production, creation,
formation
-pnea
-poiesis
-scope
angiogram (an X-ray representation of the blood
vessels
appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix)
cytokinesis (cell motion; division of the cytoplasm)
biology (science of life and living organisms)
semilunar (shaped like a half moon; crescent shaped)
chemolysis (decomposition of organic substances
through the use of chemical agents)
adenoma (a benign glandular epithelial tumor)
cirrhosis (chronic disease affecting the liver)
gastrotomy (incision in the stomach)
homozygous (union characterized by the joining of
identical alleles for a single trait)
neuropathy (disease of the nervous system)
centipede (worm-like arthropod with a large number
of feet)
leukopenia (abnormally low white blood cell count)
dysphagia (difficultly in swallowing)
thermophilic (relating to the love of heat or hot
environments)
chromatophores (pigment-bearing structures)
sporophyll (leaf that contains spores)
cytoplasm (contents of a cell excluding the nucleus)
apnea (to temporarily stop breathing)
hematopoiesis (formation of blood or blood cells)