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Medical Prefixes Flashcards

Medical terminology is built from a small set of prefixes that combine with roots and suffixes to form thousands of different terms. Learning common prefixes, like those meaning "without," "against," "half," "bad," "around," and "under," lets you decode unfamiliar medical words instead of memorizing each one individually.

This deck covers the prefixes students encounter most often across anatomy, pharmacology, and clinical terminology. Each card includes a clinical note showing the prefix in a real medical term, so the abstract prefix stays connected to language you'll actually use.

Who this deck is for

Nursing and pre-nursing students building medical vocabulary skills, especially useful for decoding unfamiliar terms on the TEAS or in clinical coursework.

Topics covered

Prefixes

Sample terms

a-, an-

Medical prefix meaning 'without'.

contra-

Medical prefix meaning 'against'.

hemi-

Medical prefix meaning 'half'.

mal-

Medical prefix meaning 'bad'.

peri-

Medical prefix meaning 'around'.

sub-

Medical prefix meaning 'under'.

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Want more practice?

Try sample tests from TEAS prep books available at your local or online bookstore.