What does sinistro- mean in medical terms?

sinistro-

Meaning: left, on the left side

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using sinistro-

sinistrocardia
sinistro- (left) + cardia (heart) = displacement of the heart to the left side
sinistromanual
sinistro- (left) + manual (relating to the hand) = left-handed

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.