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What does pseudo- mean in medical terms?

pseudo-

Meaning: false

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using pseudo-

pseudotumor
pseudo- (false) + tumor (a swelling or mass) = a condition that resembles a tumor but is not a tumor
pseudopod
pseudo- (false) + pod (foot) = a temporary foot-like projection of a cell
pseudoaneurysm
pseudo- (false) + aneurysm (a widening of a vessel) = a contained collection that resembles an aneurysm

More prefixes

a-ab-ad-allo-ambi-amphi-an-ana-aniso-ante-anti-apo-

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.