What does later mean in medical terms?

later

Meaning: side

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

Example words using later

lateral
later (side) + -al (pertaining to) = pertaining to the side
bilateral
bi- (two) + later (side) + -al (pertaining to) = pertaining to both sides
unilateral
uni- (one) + later (side) + -al (pertaining to) = pertaining to one side only

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.