What does mono- mean in medical terms?

mono-

Meaning: one, single

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using mono-

monocular
mono- (one) + ocular (relating to the eye) = relating to one eye
monocyte
mono- (single) + cyte (cell) = a white blood cell with a single large nucleus
mononucleosis
mono- (one) + nucle (nucleus) + osis (condition) = a condition named for an increase of single-nucleus white cells in the blood

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.