What does dextro- mean in medical terms?
dextro-
Meaning: right, on the right side
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what dextro- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using dextro-
dextrocardia
dextro- (right) + cardia (heart) = the heart positioned on the right side of the chest
dextro- (right) + cardia (heart) = the heart positioned on the right side of the chest
dextrose
dextro- (right) + ose (sugar) = a sugar that rotates light to the right, a form of glucose
dextro- (right) + ose (sugar) = a sugar that rotates light to the right, a form of glucose
dextroposition
dextro- (right) + position (place) = displacement to the right
dextro- (right) + position (place) = displacement to the right
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.