What does hexa- mean in medical terms?

hexa-

Meaning: six

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using hexa-

hexadactyly
hexa- (six) + dactyl (finger or toe) + y (condition) = having six fingers or toes on a hand or foot
hexavalent
hexa- (six) + valent (having combining power) = having a valence of six

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.