The medical prefix term para- means “near”, “apart from” or “abnormal” .
Example Word: para/thyr/oid
Word Breakdown: Para- in the term parathyroid means “beside” or “near”, thyr is a word root for “thyroid gland”, -oid is a suffix that means “resembling”.
Definition: Parathyroid glands are four endocrine glands located near the thyroid gland, which secrete parathyroid hormone.
