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What does contra- mean in medical terms?
contra-
Meaning: against, opposite
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what contra- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using contra-
contralateral
contra- (opposite) + lateral (side) = on the opposite side
contra- (opposite) + lateral (side) = on the opposite side
contraindication
contra- (against) + indication (a reason for) = a condition that is a reason against a procedure or treatment
contra- (against) + indication (a reason for) = a condition that is a reason against a procedure or treatment
contraception
contra- (against) + ception (conception, from capere, to take) = the prevention of conception
contra- (against) + ception (conception, from capere, to take) = the prevention of conception
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.