What does quadri- mean in medical terms?

quadri-

Meaning: four

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using quadri-

quadriplegia
quadri- (four) + plegia (paralysis) = paralysis of all four limbs
quadriceps
quadri- (four) + ceps (head) = a muscle with four heads of origin

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.