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What does pro- mean in medical terms?
pro-
Meaning: before, forward
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what pro- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using pro-
prognosis
pro- (beforehand) + gnosis (knowledge) = a forecast of the likely course of a condition
pro- (beforehand) + gnosis (knowledge) = a forecast of the likely course of a condition
prolapse
pro- (forward) + lapse (a slipping, falling) = the falling or slipping forward of a structure
pro- (forward) + lapse (a slipping, falling) = the falling or slipping forward of a structure
prophylaxis
pro- (before) + phylaxis (protection) = protection taken before, intended to prevent disease
pro- (before) + phylaxis (protection) = protection taken before, intended to prevent disease
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.