What does iso- mean in medical terms?

iso-

Meaning: equal, same

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using iso-

isotonic
iso- (equal) + tonic (relating to tension or concentration) = having equal concentration or tension
isometric
iso- (same) + metric (relating to measure or length) = maintaining the same length
isotope
iso- (same) + tope (place) = a form of an element occupying the same place in the periodic table

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.