DEFINITION of anti-

  1. Against, opposed to
  2. Preventing
  3. Relieving

ETYMOLOGY of anti-

greek

  • ant- before “h” or {vowel}

RELATED TERMS to anti-

anti-againstopposed topreventingrelieving--
ana-YES---upback
contra-YES---opposite-
ob-YES---towardvery, thoroughly


Med terms dictionary

Prefix: anti-

Short Definition

Against or preventing.

Long Definition

The prefix anti- indicates opposition, prevention, or action against something. It appears in pharmacology, immunology, and infectious disease terminology.

Etymology
  • Greek anti → “against, opposite”
TermMeaning
contra-against
prophylacticpreventive
Common Medical Terms
Documentation Clues
  • “prophylaxis”
  • “Preventive therapy”
  • “Anti‑inflammatory treatment”
Coder’s Notes

Anti‑medications often require indication coding (e.g., anticoagulants →Z79.01).