What does im- mean in medical terms?

im-

Meaning: not; in, into (variant of in- used before certain letters)

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using im-

immature
im- (not) + mature (fully developed) = not fully developed
immobile
im- (not) + mobile (movable) = not movable
implant
im- (into) + plant (to place, to plant) = a device placed into the body

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.