The prefix pro means what?

• A. In front of
• B. After, behind
• C. Foot
• D. Before, in front of

Answer: (D)

Understanding prefixes helps you decode medical terms quickly. The prefix pro- carries a sense of moving forward, ahead, or coming before. That forward or ahead meaning is why it’s interpreted as “before, in front of” in this context. You can see it in words like prognosis (knowing what will happen ahead of time) or prologue (an opening section that comes before the main text). It is not about the foot (that would be ped- or pod-) and not about behind or after (that would be retro-/post-). So the best match for pro- is “Before, in front of.”