What does the prefix hypo- indicate in medical terminology?

What does the prefix hypo- indicate in medical terminology?

• A. Below normal or deficient
• B. Upon or above
• C. Within
• D. Outside

Answer: (A)

Hypo- means under, below, or deficient. It signals that a normal level is lower than expected. That’s why you see hypoglycemia for low blood sugar, hypotension for low blood pressure, and hypothermia for a body temperature that’s too low. This sense—below normal or deficient—is what the prefix conveys. Other prefixes describe being above or in a different position (such as epi- for upon, hyper- for above, intra- for within, or exo- for outside), which is not what hypo- indicates.

Hypo- means under, below, or deficient. It signals that a normal level is lower than expected. That’s why you see hypoglycemia for low blood sugar, hypotension for low blood pressure, and hypothermia for a body temperature that’s too low. This sense—below normal or deficient—is what the prefix conveys. Other prefixes describe being above or in a different position (such as epi- for upon, hyper- for above, intra- for within, or exo- for outside), which is not what hypo- indicates.