What does dist mean in medical terms?
dist
Meaning: far, distant from a point
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 dist means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using dist
distal
dist (far) + -al (pertaining to) = farther from the point of origin or attachment
dist (far) + -al (pertaining to) = farther from the point of origin or attachment
distance
dist (far) + -ance (state) = the state or measure of being far apart
dist (far) + -ance (state) = the state or measure of being far apart
More Whole Body & General Terms roots
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.