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
macrocephaly
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

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.