What does neo- mean in medical terms?

neo-

Meaning: new

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using neo-

neonatal
neo- (new) + natal (relating to birth) = relating to the period just after birth
neoplasm
neo- (new) + plasm (formation, growth) = a new growth of tissue
neonate
neo- (new) + nate (born) = a newborn infant

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.