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What does super- mean in medical terms?
super-
Meaning: above, over, excessive
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what super- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using super-
superficial
super- (on the surface, above) + ficial (relating to a surface) = situated near the surface
super- (on the surface, above) + ficial (relating to a surface) = situated near the surface
superinfection
super- (over, in addition) + infection (invasion by a microorganism) = an additional infection occurring on top of an existing one
super- (over, in addition) + infection (invasion by a microorganism) = an additional infection occurring on top of an existing one
supernumerary
super- (beyond) + numer (number) + ary (relating to) = beyond the normal number, extra
super- (beyond) + numer (number) + ary (relating to) = beyond the normal number, extra
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.