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What does sym- mean in medical terms?
sym-
Meaning: together, with (used before certain letters)
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what sym- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using sym-
symbiosis
sym- (together) + bio (life) + sis (condition) = the living together of two different organisms
sym- (together) + bio (life) + sis (condition) = the living together of two different organisms
symmetry
sym- (together) + metry (measure) = balanced proportions measured together on both sides
sym- (together) + metry (measure) = balanced proportions measured together on both sides
symphysis
sym- (together) + physis (growth) = a joint in which bones are joined together by cartilage
sym- (together) + physis (growth) = a joint in which bones are joined together by cartilage
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.