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What does hemi- mean in medical terms?
hemi-
Meaning: half
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what hemi- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using hemi-
hemiplegia
hemi- (half) + plegia (paralysis) = paralysis of one side of the body
hemi- (half) + plegia (paralysis) = paralysis of one side of the body
hemisphere
hemi- (half) + sphere (a ball) = half of a spherical structure, such as one half of the brain
hemi- (half) + sphere (a ball) = half of a spherical structure, such as one half of the brain
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.