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What does peri- mean in medical terms?
peri-
Meaning: around, surrounding
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what peri- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using peri-
pericardium
peri- (around) + cardi (heart) + um (structure) = the membrane surrounding the heart
peri- (around) + cardi (heart) + um (structure) = the membrane surrounding the heart
perinatal
peri- (around) + natal (relating to birth) = relating to the time around birth
peri- (around) + natal (relating to birth) = relating to the time around birth
periosteum
peri- (around) + oste (bone) + um (structure) = the membrane surrounding a bone
peri- (around) + oste (bone) + um (structure) = the membrane surrounding a bone
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.