What does macro- mean in medical terms?
macro-
Meaning: large
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what macro- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using macro-
macrophage
macro- (large) + phage (eater) = a large cell that engulfs particles and microbes
macro- (large) + phage (eater) = a large cell that engulfs particles and microbes
macrocephaly
macro- (large) + cephal (head) + y (condition) = an abnormally large head
macro- (large) + cephal (head) + y (condition) = an abnormally large head
macroscopic
macro- (large) + scop (to view) + ic (relating to) = large enough to be seen with the naked eye
macro- (large) + scop (to view) + ic (relating to) = large enough to be seen with the naked eye
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.