Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: ana-

Meiosis Anaphase I
Lily Anther Microsporocytes in Anaphase I. Chromosomes move apart and head toward opposite cell poles. Ed Reschke/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Updated March 25, 2016

Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: Ana-

Definition:

The prefix (ana-) means up, upward, back, again, repetition, excessive, or apart.

Examples:

Anabiosis (ana-bi-osis) - resuscitating or restoring to life from a deathlike state or condition.

Anabolism (ana-bolism) - the process of building up or synthesizing complex biological molecules from simple molecules.

Anacathartic (ana-cathartic) - relating to the regurgitation of stomach contents; severe vomiting.

Anaclisis (ana-clisis) - an excessive emotional or physical attachment to or dependence on others.

Anacusis (ana-cusis) - the inability to perceive sound; total deafness or excessive quietness.

Anadromous (ana-dromous) - relating to fish that migrate up river from the sea to spawn.

Anagoge (ana-goge) - a spiritual interpretation of a passage or text, seen as an upward assent or higher way of thinking.

Ananym (ana-nym) - a word that is spelled backwards, often used as a pseudonym.

Anaphase (ana-phase) - a stage in mitosis and meiosis when chromosome pairs move apart and migrate toward opposite ends of a dividing cell.

Anaphor (ana-phor) - a word that refers back to an earlier word in a sentence, used to avoid repetition.

Anaphylaxis (ana-phylaxis) - extreme sensitivity reaction to a substance, such as a drug or food product, caused by previous exposure to the substance.

Anaplasia (ana-plasia) - the process of a cell reverting to an immature form.

Anaplasia is often seen in malignant tumors.

Anasarca (ana-sarca) - the excess accumulation of fluid in body tissues.

Anastomosis (ana-stom-osis) - process by which tubular structures, such as blood vessels, connect or open into each other.

Anastrophe (ana-strophe) - an inversion of the conventional order of words.

Anatomy (ana-tomy) - the study of the form or structure of an organism that may involve dissecting or taking apart certain anatomical structures.

Anatropous (ana-tropous) - relating to a plant ovule that has become completely inverted during development so that the pore through which pollen enters is facing downward.