What does scler mean in medical terms?
scler
Meaning: hard, hardening
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 scler means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using scler
sclerosis
scler (hardening) + -osis (condition) = condition of hardening of tissue
scler (hardening) + -osis (condition) = condition of hardening of tissue
arteriosclerosis
arteri (artery) + scler (hardening) + -osis (condition) = hardening of the arteries
arteri (artery) + scler (hardening) + -osis (condition) = hardening of the arteries
scleroderma
scler (hard) + derma (skin) = hardening of the skin
scler (hard) + derma (skin) = hardening of the skin
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.