What does platy- mean in medical terms?

platy-

Meaning: flat, broad

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using platy-

platyhelminth
platy- (flat) + helminth (worm) = a flatworm
platycephalic
platy- (flat) + cephal (head) + ic (relating to) = having a flattened head

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.