The prefix dys- denotes which meaning?

• A. Bad, painful, difficult
• B. Pain, suffering
• C. Under, below, deficient
• D. Excessive, above normal

Answer: (A)

Dys- signals abnormality, malfunction, or difficulty in a condition. It conveys that something is not functioning normally, often with a sense of badness or impairment. That’s why the best fit for the meaning is “bad, painful, difficult.” You can see it in terms like dysfunction (bad function), dysuria (painful or difficult urination), and dysplasia (abnormal development). Other prefixes describe different ideas: under or below is hypo- or sub-, and excessive or above normal is hyper- or supra-, while pain or suffering is usually indicated by prefixes like odyn- or alg- rather than dys-.