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What does extra- mean in medical terms?

extra-

Meaning: outside, beyond

Type: Prefix

A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what extra- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.

Example words using extra-

extracellular
extra- (outside) + cellular (relating to a cell) = outside a cell
extravascular
extra- (outside) + vascular (relating to a vessel) = outside a blood vessel
extrauterine
extra- (outside) + uterine (relating to the uterus) = outside the uterus

More prefixes

a-ab-ad-allo-ambi-amphi-an-ana-aniso-ante-anti-apo-

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.