Useful Prefixes and Suffixes that will help you on the nursing NCLEX

• Root words help you understand concepts- cholescytectomy = removal of gall bladder; Cholestyramine medication that lowers cholesterol by excreting bile..
• “hyperemesis gravidarum” = hyper means a lot; emsis means to vomit; gravidarum means pregnancy
• Pancrealipase
  • Ase = enzyme
  • What is an enzyme; used to break down foods
    • Pancrelipase is a medication containing lipase, protease, and amylase.  In cystic fibrosis, the client’s pancreas does not excrete these necessary enzymes.  To prevent malabsorption syndrome, the enzymes must be taken with every snack and every meal.
• ecchymosis of the groin
  • Osis = condition or state
  • Ecto = prefix meaning outside, outer, external
  • Ecchym = blood in tissue/pouring out of

Suffixes:

-Aemia = blood

-ase = enzymes

-Asis = action;process or result of

-ectomy =removal of

-emesis = vomit

-itis = inflammation

-ism = action or state of

-megaly = abnormal enlargement

-ology = study of

-oma = lump, mass or tumor

-ostomy = artificial opening

–osis. a suffix occurring in nouns that denote actions, conditions, or states (hypnosis; leukocytosis; osmosis), especially disorders or abnormal states (chlorosis; neurofibromatosis; tuberculosis).

-otomy = incision into

-paresis = motor weakness

-Penia = lack or to have deficencey

-phagia = eating

-phasia = speech

-plegia = paralysis

-pnoea or -pnea = air or breathing/lack of deficiency

-rhoea (rhea) = to flow;

-scopy = to look

-tension = pressure

-thermia = heat

-trophy = nourishment

-uria = in urine

Prefixes:

-ecto = outside

-brady = slow

-chole = bile

-col = colon

-cyst = bladder

-endo = inside

-enteric = intestinal

-gly = sugar

-gastr(o) = stomach

-haem = blood

-hemi = half

-hepato = liver

-laparo = abdomen

-mast = breast

-myo = muscle

-Olig = few

-Peri = about/around

-Pyr = fire