What does cyan- mean in medical terms?

cyan-

Meaning: blue

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using cyan-

cyanosis
cyan- (blue) + osis (condition) = a bluish discoloration of the skin or membranes
cyanotic
cyan- (blue) + tic (relating to) = relating to a bluish discoloration

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.