What does tele- mean in medical terms?

tele-

Meaning: far, distant, at a distance

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using tele-

telemedicine
tele- (at a distance) + medicine (medical care) = medical care provided over a distance using communications technology
teledermatology
tele- (at a distance) + dermatology (the study of skin) = skin care provided over a distance using communications technology

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.