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What does dis- mean in medical terms?
dis-
Meaning: not, apart, absence of, reversal
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what dis- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using dis-
dislocation
dis- (apart) + location (place) = displacement of a bone from its normal position
dis- (apart) + location (place) = displacement of a bone from its normal position
disinfect
dis- (to remove, reverse) + infect (to contaminate) = to free from infection
dis- (to remove, reverse) + infect (to contaminate) = to free from infection
disorientation
dis- (loss of) + orientation (awareness of place and direction) = loss of awareness of time, place, or identity
dis- (loss of) + orientation (awareness of place and direction) = loss of awareness of time, place, or identity
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.