What does the prefix hypo- indicate?

• A. Above Normal
• B. Deficient, Decreased
• C. Normal
• D. Excessive

Answer: (B)

Hypo- signals below, under, or less than normal. It indicates a deficiency or decreased level of something in the body. For instance, hypoglycemia means low blood sugar, hypothermia means a lower-than-normal body temperature, and hypotension means low blood pressure. Therefore, Deficient, Decreased is the best match for this prefix. In contrast, prefixes like hyper- mean above normal or excessive, and eu- or normo- indicate normal.