What is the difference between the prefixes hyper and hypo

Home » Hypo vs. English has a lot of confusing words that mix up writers from time to time. In this post, I want to discuss the differences between hypo and hyper. I will go over their definitions, their uses inside a sentence, and provide a few ways to tell them apart. It can also act as either a noun or verb meaning injection or stimulus or boost.

Hypo is common within the field of medicine. Some other words with the prefix hypo include hypoglycemia , hypothyroidism , and hypoallergenic. Another lesser used meaning is a fixer used in photograph developing. When to use hyper : Hyper often appears as a prefix meaning over or above normal, especially when implying excess. It can also stand alone as an adjective that means overexcited.

Some common words that start with hyper include hypersensitive, hyperventilate, and hyperbolic. My mother is hypo glycemic, which means that sometimes her blood sugar gets low and she has to make sure she eats small meals regularly.

Have you ever known anyone who had hypo thyroidism, meaning their thyroid did not work properly? When the mountain climbers were stranded during the blizzard, hypo thermia became a real danger, and they did everything they could to keep their body temperatures up. Hyper is a Greek prefix that means high or over. It has the opposite meaning of hypo. Conversely, the scientific term for deep sea fauna is hypobenthos. Hyper- and hypo- are easily confused, but their meanings are easier to recall if you associate the terms with an image or idea.

For example, to remember the meaning of hyper- , think of a hyperactive friend who is always on the go. Alternatively, remember that your last flu shot was from a hypodermic needle , and the meaning of hypo- becomes very clear.

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