Tackling The Veterinary Terminology: Prefixes (tachy-)

Remember the Spelling Bee? Big words are easier to tackle when you understand how they're put together. Veterinary terms are composed in the same way. Just like with other words, the main parts of a veterinary term are a prefix, a root, and a suffix. The difference is that they typically come more directly from Greek or Latin.

A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify its meaning by providing additional information. It usually indicates number, location, time, or status.

tachy- [tækɪ] - from Greek - fast, rapid, accelerated

For a good measure, I like to include opposites, where applicable. Tachy- is the opposite to brady- I talked about last time.

While brady- indicates something being too slow for the conditions or circumstances, tachy- means too fast.

Signs that you're driving too fast. This awesome picture is all over the internet and I cannot find the origin.
I would love to include credit. Note: no animals were harmed during creation of this image.

 

Tachycardia, then, means abnormally rapid heart rate. Tachyarrhythmia, heart rhythm that is fast and irregular. Tachypnea, abnormally rapid breathing.

***

Related articles:
Veterinary Suffixes (-itis)
Veterinary Suffixes (-oma) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-pathy)  
Veterinary Suffixes (-osis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-iasis) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-tomy) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-ectomy)  
Veterinary Suffixes (-scopy) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-emia)
Veterinary Suffixes (-penia)
Veterinary Suffixes (-rrhea) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-cyte) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-blast) 
Veterinary Suffixes (-opsy)
Veterinary Suffixes (-ac/-al)

Veterinary Prefixes (hyper-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (hypo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (pyo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (myo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (myelo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (spondylo-)
Veterinary Prefixes (cardio-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (cervic-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (osteo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (fibro-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (broncho-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (hemo-) 
Veterinary Prefixes (brady-)