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
dextrose
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

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.