DEFINITION of apo-

away from


ETYMOLOGY of apo-


RELATED TERMS to apo-

apo-away from--
ab-YES--
de-YESdownabsent
ec-YESout of-
ex-YESout of-
se-ESout of-


Med terms dictionary

Prefix: apo-

Short Definition

Away from or separated from.

Long Definition

The prefix apo- indicates separation, derivation, or movement away from something. It appears in anatomy, physiology, and biochemical terminology.

Etymology

  • Greek apo → “from, away from”
TermMeaning
ab-away from
dia-through, apart

Common Medical Terms

  • Apocrine - glands that secrete by “separating off” part of the cell
  • apoptosis - programmed cell death (cells “fall away”)

Documentation Clues

  • “Cellular breakdown”
  • “Glandular secretion type”

Coder’s Notes

Apoptosis terminology appears in oncology and pathology reports.