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What does non- mean in medical terms?

non-

Meaning: not

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using non-

noninvasive
non- (not) + invasive (entering the body) = not entering or invading the body
nonverbal
non- (not) + verbal (using words) = not using words
noninfectious
non- (not) + infectious (capable of causing infection) = not caused by or capable of spreading infection

More prefixes

a-ab-ad-allo-ambi-amphi-an-ana-aniso-ante-anti-apo-

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.