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What does retro- mean in medical terms?
retro-
Meaning: backward, behind
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what retro- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using retro-
retroflexion
retro- (backward) + flexion (bending) = bending backward
retro- (backward) + flexion (bending) = bending backward
retroperitoneal
retro- (behind) + peritoneal (relating to the peritoneum) = situated behind the peritoneum
retro- (behind) + peritoneal (relating to the peritoneum) = situated behind the peritoneum
retrovirus
retro- (reverse) + virus (a virus) = a virus that copies its material in a reverse direction
retro- (reverse) + virus (a virus) = a virus that copies its material in a reverse direction
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.