What does exo- mean in medical terms?
exo-
Meaning: outside, outward
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what exo- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using exo-
exogenous
exo- (outside) + gen (producing) + ous (characterized by) = originating outside the body
exo- (outside) + gen (producing) + ous (characterized by) = originating outside the body
exocrine
exo- (outward) + crine (to secrete) = secreting outward, through a duct
exo- (outward) + crine (to secrete) = secreting outward, through a duct
exotropia
exo- (outward) + tropia (turning) = outward turning of the eye
exo- (outward) + tropia (turning) = outward turning of the eye
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.