What does pros- mean in medical terms?

pros-

Meaning: toward, in addition, near

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using pros-

prosencephalon
pros- (forward) + encephalon (brain) = the forebrain, the forward part of the developing brain
prosthesis
pros- (in addition) + thesis (a placing) = an artificial device added in place of a body part

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.