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What does re- mean in medical terms?
re-
Meaning: again, back
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what re- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using re-
rehydration
re- (again) + hydration (adding water) = restoration of water after loss
re- (again) + hydration (adding water) = restoration of water after loss
relapse
re- (back) + lapse (a slipping) = the return of a condition after a period of improvement
re- (back) + lapse (a slipping) = the return of a condition after a period of improvement
reflux
re- (back) + flux (a flow) = a backward flow
re- (back) + flux (a flow) = a backward flow
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.