Standard Lemma guide

hypo-

prefix · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈhaɪpəʊ/
  • General-American: /ˈhaɪpoʊ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪpəʊ

1

prefix

Meaning 1

Below; beneath; under.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sub-

Antonyms: none provided

2

prefix

Meaning 2

Deficient; less than normal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sub-

Antonyms: hyper-

3

prefix

Meaning 3

Designating oxoacid and oxyanions with a low amount of oxygen.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: per-

4

prefix

Meaning 4

Having a range which extends from a perfect fourth below the tonic to a perfect fifth above.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: morpheme

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ὑπο- (hupo-), combining form of ὑπό (hupó, “under”). Doublet of sub-. Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *upó Ancient Greek ῠ̔πό (hŭpó) Ancient Greek ὑπο- (hupo-)der. English hypo-

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: hipo- — Anatomical sense
  • Galician: hipo- — Anatomical sense
  • German: hypo- — Anatomical sense
  • Greek: υπο- (ypo-) — Anatomical sense
  • Ido: hipo- — Anatomical sense
  • Italian: ipo- — Anatomical sense
  • Polish: hipo- — Anatomical sense
  • Portuguese: hipo- — Anatomical sense
  • Catalan: hipo- — Medical sense
  • Chinese Mandarin: 低 (dī) — Medical sense
  • Galician: hipo- — Medical sense
  • German: hypo- — Medical sense
  • Greek: υπο- (ypo-) — Medical sense
  • Ido: hipo- — Medical sense
  • Italian: ipo- — Medical sense
  • Polish: hipo- — Medical sense
  • Portuguese: hipo- — Medical sense
  • Catalan: hipo- — Chemical sense
  • Galician: hipo- — Chemical sense
  • German: hypo- — Chemical sense
  • Greek: υπο- (ypo-) — Chemical sense
  • Hindi: उन- (un-) — Chemical sense
  • Ido: hipo- — Chemical sense
  • Italian: ipo- — Chemical sense
  • Polish: hipo- — Chemical sense
  • Portuguese: hipo- — Chemical sense