What does the prefix brady- mean? Provide an example term.

• A. Fast; tachycardia
• B. Slow; bradypnea
• C. Large; macroglossia
• D. Slow; bradycardia

Answer: (D)

Brady- denotes slow. In medical terminology, prefixes that describe speed attach to roots to show how fast or slow something is. When brady- is linked with cardia, which refers to the heart, the term bradycardia describes a heart rate that is slower than normal. This makes bradycardia a classic example of the prefix meaning slow. The other choices illustrate related ideas: tachy- means fast (as in tachycardia), macro- means large (macroglossia), and brady- can also pair with pnea to form bradypnea, meaning slow breathing. But the combination with cardia provides a straightforward, widely used term that directly demonstrates the meaning of brady-.