What does derm mean in medical terms?

derm

Meaning: skin

Type: Word root · Body system: Whole Body & General Terms

A word root is the core of a word; prefixes and suffixes attach around it. On this page: what derm means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.

Example words using derm

epidermis
epi- (upon) + derm (skin) = the layer upon the skin (outer skin layer)
hypodermic
hypo- (below) + derm (skin) + -ic (pertaining to) = pertaining to below the skin

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.