Zoology/Suffixes and Prefixes

Zoology, like all sciences, uses quite a lot of terminology taken from the Latin and Greek languages. These can be unfamiliar terms.

This list is an attempt at a glossary of prefixes and suffixes to assist in learning the terminology.

The list can be used as-is as a reference, or can be copied to your word processor, increased a bit in size, and printed to be cut and pasted onto home-made flash cards.

Prefixes

a : without, lack of
ab : away from
ad : toward, to, near
ambi : both
amphi : both
ampho : both
an : without, lack of
ana : up, toward, apart
ante : before, in front of backward
anti : against, opposing
apo : separation from, derived from
auto : self
bi : two, double, twice
cata : down, under, lower, against
circum : around
co : with, together
com : with, together
con : with, together
contra : opposed, against
di : two, twice
dia : between, through, apare, acress, completely
dis : apart from, free from
dys : difficult, painful, abnormal
e : out of, from away from
ec : out of, from away from
ecto : outer, outside, situated on
ee : reverse, remove
em : in
en : in
endo : within, inner
ep : upon, on over above
epi : upon, on over above
eu : normal, good, well, healthy
ex : out of, from away from
exo : outer, outside, situated on
extra : outside of, beyond
hemi : half
hyper : excessive, above
hypo : under, deficient, beneath
im : in, into within, not
in : in, into within, not
infra : below, beneath
inter : between
intra : within
intro : into, within
mes : middle
meso : middle
meta : change, beyond after
micro : small
multi : many
neo : new, recent
pan : all, entire
para : beside, beyond
per : through, excessive
peri : around
po : before, in front of
poly : many, much, excessive
post : after, behind
pre : before, in front of
pseudo : false
re : again, backward
retro : backward, behind
semi : half, partial
sub : under, beneath, super, supra
sym : together, with
syn : together, with
trans : across, through
ultra : beyond, excess
xantho : yellow

Suffixes

-ac : pertaining to, relating to
-al : pertaining to, relating to
-algia : pain
-ate : having, resembling, acting upon
-cele : protrusion (hernia)
-centesis : surgical puncture to remove fluid
-cle : small, diminutive
-cule : small, diminutive
-cyte : cell
-ectomy : cutting out
-emesis : vomit
-emia : blood condition
-ent : person or agent
-er : person or agent
-esis : state or condition
-form : resembling, shaped like
-genesis : development, origin
-gram : recording, written record
-graphy : recording, written record
-grapth : instrument that records
-iasis : state or condition
-ible : capable, able
-ic : pertaining to, relating to
-ile : capable, able
-is : state or condition
-ism : state or condition
-ist : person or agent
-itis : inflammation
-ity : state or condition
-ize : use, subject to
-logy : science, study of
-oid : resembling, shaped like
-ola : small, diminutive
-ole : small, diminutive
-oma : tumor
-or : person or agent
-osis : state or condition
-ous : pertaining to, relating to
-penia : deficiency, lack of
-pexis : fixation
-pexy : fixation
-phage : eating
-phagy : eating
-phobia : abnormal fear or intolerance
-plasia : forming, growing, changing
-plastic : forming, growing, changing
-plasty : forming, growing, changing
-pnea : breathing
-rrhaphy : suturing in place
-rrhea : flow or discharge
-rrhexis : rupture
-scope : instrument for examining
-scopy : act of examining
-sis : state or condition
-stomy : surgical opening
-tic : pertaining to, relating to
-tion : state or condition
-tome : instrument for cutting
-tomy : cutting, incision
-ule : small, diminutive
-ulum : small, diminutive
-ulus : small, diminutive
-y : state or condition

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