What does mid- mean in medical terms?

mid-

Meaning: middle

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using mid-

midline
mid- (middle) + line (a line) = the line down the middle of the body
midbrain
mid- (middle) + brain (the brain) = the middle part of the brain
midsagittal
mid- (middle) + sagittal (relating to the lengthwise plane) = relating to the middle lengthwise plane of the body

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.