What does medi mean in medical terms?

medi

Meaning: middle

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

Example words using medi

medial
medi (middle) + -al (pertaining to) = pertaining to the middle or midline
mediastinum
medi (middle) + -stinum (partition) = the central partition in the chest between the lungs
median
medi (middle) + -an (pertaining to) = situated in the middle

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.