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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots

Intra-

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˈɪntrə/prefixCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, intra- means: A prefix meaning 'inside' or 'within', as in intracellular (inside cells), intravenous (into a vein) and intramuscular (into a muscle).

In Turkish: intra-, içinde, içi

How it is used

Common in physiology (intracellular fluid) and in clinical language (intravenous, IV; intramuscular, IM). Do not confuse it with inter-, which means 'between': the intercostal muscles lie between the ribs.

Example sentences

  1. About two-thirds of the body's water is intracellular fluid.

  2. The drug was given intravenously so that it would act quickly.

Common collocations

  • intracellular
  • intravenous
  • intramuscular
  • intracranial
  • intra-abdominal
  • cellThe smallest living unit of the body. Each cell has a membrane and cytoplasm, most also have a nucleus, and groups of similar cells form tissues.
  • veinA blood vessel that carries blood back toward the heart. Most veins carry blood that is low in oxygen; the pulmonary veins are the exception, bringing oxygen-rich blood from the lungs.
  • muscleA tissue or organ made of cells that can contract (shorten) to produce movement or force. The three types are skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle.
  • cardio-A word part from Greek meaning 'heart'. It appears as cardi- or cardio- at the start of words and as -cardia or -cardium at the end, as in cardiology, tachycardia and myocardium.

More terms: Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.