Combining Form: atel-

Short Definition

Incomplete or imperfect development.

Long Definition

The combining form atel- refers to something that is incomplete, imperfect, or not fully developed. It appears most commonly in pulmonary terminology.

Etymology

  • greek atelÄ“s → “imperfect, incomplete”
TermMeaning
dys-abnormal
hypo-under, below normal

Common Medical Terms

  • Atelectasis - incomplete expansion of the lung
  • Atelomyelia - incomplete development of the spinal cord

Documentation Clues

  • “Partial collapse”
  • “Incomplete expansion”
  • “Segmental atelectasis”

Coder’s Notes

Atelectasis is often secondary and may not always be separately reportable.



Med terms dictionary Appendix A Prefixes Appendix B Combining Forms Appendix C Suffixes Appendix D Suffix forms