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What does sub- mean in medical terms?
sub-
Meaning: under, below
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what sub- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using sub-
subcutaneous
sub- (under) + cutaneous (relating to the skin) = under the skin
sub- (under) + cutaneous (relating to the skin) = under the skin
sublingual
sub- (under) + lingual (relating to the tongue) = under the tongue
sub- (under) + lingual (relating to the tongue) = under the tongue
substernal
sub- (below) + sternal (relating to the sternum) = below the breastbone
sub- (below) + sternal (relating to the sternum) = below the breastbone
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.