Pre- (Pre-)

The prefix "pre-" in medical and anatomical terms means:

  1. Situated in front of something, preceding something. For example:
  1. Premenstrual - occurring before the onset of menstruation.

  2. Prenatal - preceding childbirth, before birth.

  1. In anatomy - located in front of something, anterior in relation to something. For example:
  1. Precardiac - located in front of the heart.

  2. Prepatellar - located in front of the kneecap.

Thus, the prefix "pre-" indicates precedence in time or spatial location before something.



Pre- (Pre-) is one of the most used prefixes in medical terminology, as well as in other scientific fields. This prefix denotes a location or action that precedes some other process or state.

In medicine, it is used in terms that describe the various stages of development of diseases, both physical and mental. For example, premenstrual describes a condition that occurs before the onset of menstruation, including symptoms such as irritability, abdominal pain and headaches. Prenatal describes the condition associated with the development of the fetus in the womb until the moment of birth.

It is also used in anatomy to describe parts of the body that are located in front of others. For example, precardiac describes the area in front of the heart, and prepatellar describes the area in front of the kneecap.

Some other examples of uses of the prefix include premedication - the use of drugs before medical procedures are performed, preoperative - before surgery, and preceptor - a person who teaches and prepares students or new employees to perform tasks.

In conclusion, it is an important prefix in medical terminology and other scientific fields that denotes a location or action that precedes another process or condition. Thanks to the use of pre-terms, we can more accurately describe the processes and phenomena that take place in our body or in the environment around us.



Pre- and pro- in English, *pre- and pro* are often used to create new words with meanings similar to those of the original words *pre-* and *pro-*. These two prefixes have common meanings related to time and place:

***Pre-*** - **located in front of someone or something**. It is often used to say something about something. Here are some examples: **preseason**—in advance (before the start of the season), **premarital**—previous marriage. **Pre-** has a similar meaning - for example, if you haven't "looked forward", you should prepare "backwards". Often translated into one word: for example, precumculus (**early corn**) simply means **“very corn”**. **pre** has an exception: sometimes it is used simply as a descriptive adjective, in the same way that the participle "**forward/for the future**" would become a noun. For example, **preheat**, which means "hotter" or "preheat". ***Pro-*** is in some ways close to the meaning of ***pre-***. However, **pro** is also used in sentences to indicate a person. Then *pre-* is much less common. Especially in complex words, *pro* can turn into *pri-*, that is, into ordinary