What does infra- mean in medical terms?

infra-

Meaning: below, beneath

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using infra-

infrared
infra- (below) + red (the color red) = light with a wavelength below that of red light
infraspinatus
infra- (below) + spin (spine) + atus (provided with) = a muscle below the spine of the shoulder blade
infraorbital
infra- (below) + orbital (relating to the eye socket) = below the eye socket

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.