Which prefix means half and is seen in terms like hemisphere?

• A. Hemi-
• B. Hyper-
• C. Post-
• D. Sub-

Answer: (A)

In medical terms, prefixes modify the meaning of the root. The one that denotes half is hemi-. In hemisphere, hemi- indicates half, since a hemisphere is half of a sphere. The other prefixes point to different ideas: hyper- means above or excessive, post- means after, and sub- means under. So hemi- is the correct fit for the concept of half.