What does the prefix A- mean?

What does the prefix A- mean?

• A. Around
• B. Without
• C. Inside
• D. Near

Answer: (B)

A prefix meaning “without” is what this item tests. In medical terms, a- or an- signals absence or lack of something. You can see it in anemia (without enough red blood cells), apnea (without breathing), and asepsis (without infection). Because the idea is absence, the correct meaning is “without.” Prefixes for around, inside, or near would be different roots such as circum- or peri- (around), intra- or endo- (inside), and para- or proximal- (near), which aren’t conveyed by this a- prefix.

A prefix meaning “without” is what this item tests. In medical terms, a- or an- signals absence or lack of something. You can see it in anemia (without enough red blood cells), apnea (without breathing), and asepsis (without infection). Because the idea is absence, the correct meaning is “without.” Prefixes for around, inside, or near would be different roots such as circum- or peri- (around), intra- or endo- (inside), and para- or proximal- (near), which aren’t conveyed by this a- prefix.