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What does tetra- mean in medical terms?
tetra-
Meaning: four
Type: Prefix
A prefix goes at the very start of a word, before the root. On this page: what tetra- means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using tetra-
tetraplegia
tetra- (four) + plegia (paralysis) = paralysis of all four limbs
tetra- (four) + plegia (paralysis) = paralysis of all four limbs
tetradactyl
tetra- (four) + dactyl (finger or toe) = having four fingers or toes
tetra- (four) + dactyl (finger or toe) = having four fingers or toes
tetravalent
tetra- (four) + valent (having combining power) = having a valence of four
tetra- (four) + valent (having combining power) = having a valence of four
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.