What does stern mean in medical terms?
stern
Meaning: sternum; breastbone
Type: Word root · Body system: Bones, Joints & Muscles
A word root is the core of a word; prefixes and suffixes attach around it. On this page: what stern means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.
Example words using stern
sternal
stern (sternum) + -al (pertaining to) = pertaining to the sternum
stern (sternum) + -al (pertaining to) = pertaining to the sternum
sternotomy
stern (sternum) + -tomy (cutting, incision) = incision of the sternum
stern (sternum) + -tomy (cutting, incision) = incision of the sternum
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.