Science, Tech, Math › Science Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: ana- Share Flipboard Email Print Clouds Hill Imaging Ltd. / Getty Images Science Biology Basics Cell Biology Genetics Organisms Anatomy Physiology Botany Ecology Chemistry Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Regina Bailey Regina Bailey Biology Expert B.A., Biology, Emory University A.S., Nursing, Chattahoochee Technical College Regina Bailey is a board-certified registered nurse, science writer and educator. Her work has been featured in "Kaplan AP Biology" and "The Internet for Cellular and Molecular Biologists." Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on March 29, 2019 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 upriver 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) - the 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. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Bailey, Regina. "Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: ana-." ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/biology-prefixes-and-suffixes-ana-373630. Bailey, Regina. (2020, August 28). Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: ana-. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/biology-prefixes-and-suffixes-ana-373630 Bailey, Regina. "Biology Prefixes and Suffixes: ana-." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/biology-prefixes-and-suffixes-ana-373630 (accessed March 30, 2023). copy citation