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What does dys- mean in medical terms?
dys-
Meaning: bad, difficult, painful, abnormal
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what dys- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using dys-
dyspnea
dys- (difficult) + pnea (breathing) = difficult or labored breathing
dys- (difficult) + pnea (breathing) = difficult or labored breathing
dysfunction
dys- (abnormal) + function (working, activity) = abnormal functioning
dys- (abnormal) + function (working, activity) = abnormal functioning
dysplasia
dys- (abnormal) + plasia (formation, development) = abnormal formation or development of tissue
dys- (abnormal) + plasia (formation, development) = abnormal formation or development of tissue
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.