What Does Hypo Mean?

Hypo is a prefix originating from the Greek implying "low," or "insufficient." In medical parlance, this prefix denotes an exceptionally low level of a particular substance in the body. For example, a condition like hypoglycaemia implies a low level of blood sugar in the body for a person afflicted with diabetes.

The word is used in anatomy as a prefix to mean "below" or "under" with respect to location of parts of the body. For example, hypothamus is a region of the brain below the thalamus. In chemistry, the prefix is used with respect to oxyanions and oxoacids with a minimal amount of oxygen. In photography, "hypo" implies Sodium thiosulfate, or a fixing agent used for developing photographic film in the dark room. A hypodermic needle is a hollow needle generally used with a syringe to inject substances into the body.

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