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What does co- mean in medical terms?
co-
Meaning: with, together, joint
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what co- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using co-
cofactor
co- (together) + factor (an agent) = a substance that works together with an enzyme
co- (together) + factor (an agent) = a substance that works together with an enzyme
coenzyme
co- (together) + enzyme (a biological catalyst) = a helper molecule that works with an enzyme
co- (together) + enzyme (a biological catalyst) = a helper molecule that works with an enzyme
coinfection
co- (together) + infection (invasion by a microorganism) = an infection occurring together with another infection
co- (together) + infection (invasion by a microorganism) = an infection occurring together with another infection
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.