What does xeno- mean in medical terms?

xeno-

Meaning: foreign, stranger

Type: Prefix

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

Example words using xeno-

xenograft
xeno- (foreign) + graft (transplanted tissue) = a graft taken from a different species
xenotransplantation
xeno- (foreign) + transplantation (transfer of an organ or tissue) = transplantation of tissue or organs from another species
xenobiotic
xeno- (foreign) + bio (life) + tic (relating to) = a substance foreign to the body

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.