What does pachy- mean in medical terms?
pachy-
Meaning: thick
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what pachy- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using pachy-
pachyderma
pachy- (thick) + derma (skin) = abnormal thickening of the skin
pachy- (thick) + derma (skin) = abnormal thickening of the skin
pachymeninges
pachy- (thick) + meninges (membranes) = the thick outer membranes covering the brain and spinal cord
pachy- (thick) + meninges (membranes) = the thick outer membranes covering the brain and spinal cord
pachycephaly
pachy- (thick) + cephal (head) + y (condition) = abnormal thickening of the skull bones
pachy- (thick) + cephal (head) + y (condition) = abnormal thickening of the skull bones
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.