The medical prefix term intra- or intro- means “inside” or “within”.
Example Word: intra/muscul/ar
Word Breakdown: Intra- means “inside”, muscul is a word root that refers to the “muscle”, -ar is a suffix that means “pertaining to”.
Definition: The intramuscular refers to the inside of the muscle.
More Examples of Medical Terms Starting with Intra- or Intro-
Intravenous: intra– ( “inside” or “within”) + ven ( “veins”) + –ous ( “related to”)
Definition: Inside or within a vein, typically referring to the administration of medication or fluids through a vein.
Intracellular: intra– ( “inside” or “within”) + cellular ( “related to cells”)
Definition: Inside or within a cell, typically referring to processes or substances that occur within a cell.
Intraoral: intra– ( “inside” or “within”) + oral ( “pertaining to the mouth”)
Definition: Inside or within the mouth, typically referring to dental procedures or devices.
Intrathecal: intra– ( “inside” or “within”) + thec ( “related to a sheath or covering”) + –al ( “related to”)
Definition: Inside or within a protective sheath or covering, typically referring to the injection of medication into the spinal cord.
Intrauterine: intra– ( “inside” or “within”) + uter/o ( “uterus”)
Definition: Inside or within the uterus, typically referring to the location of a pregnancy or a device used in birth control.
Intracranial: intra– ( “inside” or “within”) + crani (“skull” or “cranium”) + –al ( “pertaining to”)
Definition: Inside or within the skull, typically referring to conditions, injuries or pressure inside the skull.
Intratubular: intra– ( “inside” or “within”) + tubul ( “tubules”) + –ar ( “related to”)
Definition: Inside or within a tubule, typically referring to a cell structure or organelles inside the tubule.
Introspection: intro– ( “inside” or “within”) + spection ( “to look”)
Definition: The act of looking inside oneself, typically referring to self-reflection and self-awareness.
Introvert: intro– ( “inside” or “within”) + vert ( “to turn”)
Definition: A person who tends to focus on their own thoughts and feelings rather than on external things.
