What does intra- mean in medical terms?

intra-

Meaning: within, inside

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using intra-

intracellular
intra- (within) + cellular (relating to a cell) = inside a cell
intravenous
intra- (within) + ven (vein) + ous (relating to) = within a vein
intramuscular
intra- (within) + muscular (relating to muscle) = within a muscle

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.