What does xanth- mean in medical terms?

xanth-

Meaning: yellow

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using xanth-

xanthoma
xanth- (yellow) + oma (a growth, tumor) = a yellow deposit or growth in the skin
xanthelasma
xanth- (yellow) + elasma (a flat plate) = a yellow flat plaque, often around the eyelids
xanthosis
xanth- (yellow) + osis (condition) = a condition of yellow discoloration of tissue

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.