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What does circum- mean in medical terms?

circum-

Meaning: around

Type: Prefix

A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what circum- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.

Example words using circum-

circumcision
circum- (around) + cis (to cut) + ion (action) = the cutting around of the foreskin
circumduction
circum- (around) + duct (to lead) + ion (action) = movement of a limb in a circle
circumoral
circum- (around) + oral (mouth) = around the mouth

More prefixes

a-ab-ad-allo-ambi-amphi-an-ana-aniso-ante-anti-apo-

Shortened forms

Charts and notes shorten long terms — see the Medical Abbreviations guide for the short forms you will meet in real records.

Please note: This section teaches the language of medicine — what word parts mean and how terms are built. It is an educational reference, not medical advice. For the meaning of a word in your own medical record, ask the clinician who wrote it.