What does hyster mean in medical terms?

hyster

Meaning: uterus, womb

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 hyster means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.

Example words using hyster

hysterectomy
hyster (uterus) + -ectomy (surgical removal) = surgical removal of the uterus
hysteroscopy
hyster (uterus) + -scopy (visual examination) = visual examination of the inside of the uterus
hysterotomy
hyster (uterus) + -tomy (incision) = incision into the uterus

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.