· Become familiar with the role of prefixion in the formation of anatomical and histological terms
· Learn the principal Latin and Greek prefixes used in the anatomical terminology
This lesson is divided into the following sections:
V. Role of prefixion in the formation of anatomical and histological terms
VI. Latin and Greek prefixes used in the anatomical terminology
VII. Exercises.
VIII. Vocabulary
I. ROLE OF PREFIXION IN THE FORMATION OF ANATOMICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL TERMS
It is known that the body or organs of the body may be sectioned according to planes of reference. These include a midsagittal plane that runs vertically through a structure, dividing it into right and left halves; a sagittal plane that runs vertically through a structure, dividing it into right and left portions; a coronal (frontal) plane that runs vertically through a structure, dividing it into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions; and a transverse (cross-sectional) plane that runs horizontally through a structure, dividing it into upper and lower portions.
In the anatomical terminology a great variety of terms with the spatial location meaning is used. The fundamental importance in this aspect have Latin and Greek prefixes as follows:
II. LATIN AND GREEK PREFIXES USED IN THE ANATOMICAL TERMINOLOGY
Prefixes
Meaning of the prefixes
Examples
before/behind
Ante-
before, preceding
antebrachĭum (forarm)
Pre-
before, ahead of
presacrālis (presacral)
Post-
after, behind
postaortālis (postaortal)
Retro-
back, behind
retrocavālis (retrocaval)
above/under
Supra-
above
supraauriculāris(supra-auricular)
Infra-
under; below
infraspinālis(infraspinal)
Epi-
on; upon; over
epigastrĭumepigastrium)
Sub-
under; below
subarachnoidālis(subarachnoid)
Hypo-
below; incomplete; deficient
hypochondrĭum(hypochondrium)
inside/outside
Intra-
within
intramusculāris(intramuscular)
Endo-
within
endocervicālis(endocervical)
Extra-
outside of; beyond
extracapsulāris(etracapsular)
between
Inter-
between
intervertebrālis(intervertebral)
Meso-
middle
mesogastrĭum(mesogastrium)
to/from
Ad-
to; toward
adductor(adductor)
Ab-
from; away from
abductor(abductor)
beside, around
Para-
beside; beyond; around
paraduodenālis(paraduodenal)
Peri-
surrounding (outer)
pericardĭum(pericardium)
together, joined
Syn-
together; joined
synarthrōsis(synarthrosis)
Com-(con-)
together
commissūra(commissure)
III. Exercises
1. Make up new words using prefixes and translate into English: