hypo

¹ American  

[hahy-poh] / ˈhaɪ poʊ /

noun

plural

hypos

1. a hypodermic syringe or injection.

2. a stimulus or boost.

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verb (used with object)

1. to administer a hypodermic injection to.

2. to stimulate by or as if by administering a hypodermic injection.

3. to increase, boost, or augment.

   to hypo the car's power by installing a bigger engine.

hypo ² American  

[hahy-poh] / ˈhaɪ poʊ /

noun

1. sodium thiosulfate.

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hypo ³ American  

[hahy-poh] / ˈhaɪ poʊ /

noun

Archaic.

1. hypochondria.

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hypo- ⁴ American  

1. a prefix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “under” (hypostasis ); on this model used, especially as opposed to hyper-, in the formation of compound words (hypothyroid ).

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hypo ¹ British  

/ ˈhaɪpəʊ /

noun

1. short for hypodermic syringe

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Hypo- ² British  

prefix

1. indicating a plagal mode in music

   Hypodorian

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hypo ³ British  

/ ˈhaɪpəʊ /

noun

1. another name for sodium thiosulphate, esp when used as a fixer in photographic developing

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hypo- ⁴ British  

prefix

1. under, beneath, or below

   hypodermic

2. lower; at a lower point

   hypogastrium

3. less than

   hypoploid

4. (in medicine) denoting a deficiency or an abnormally low level

   hypothyroid

   hypoglycaemia

5. incomplete or partial

   hypoplasia

6. indicating that a chemical compound contains an element in a lower oxidation state than usual

   hypochlorous acid

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hypo– Scientific  

1. A prefix that means “beneath“ or “below,” as in hypodermic, below the skin. It also means “less than normal,” especially in medical terms like hypoglycemia. In the names of chemical compounds, it means “at the lowest state of oxidation,” as in sodium hypochlorite.

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Etymology

Origin of hypo¹

First recorded in 1900–05; by shortening of hypodermic; sense “stimulate” perhaps by association with hype ¹; -o

Origin of hypo²

First recorded in 1855–60; shortening of hyposulfite

Origin of hypo³

First recorded in 1700–10; by shortening

Origin of hypo-⁴

< Greek, combining form of hypó under (preposition), below (adv.); cognate with Latin sub ( sub- ); up

Example Sentences

Lynch had been tracking discoveries about a layer of wet sediment, small stones and tiny creatures just below the streambed called the hyporheic zone—a term from the Greek hypo, meaning “under,” and rheos, meaning “flow.”

From Scientific American • Apr. 1, 2022

Being halfway up a mountain when you have a hypo - a low-blood sugar episode that can cause dizziness, disorientation and even unconsciousness - is far from ideal.

From BBC • Jul. 15, 2019

I use that hypo to highlight the real issue here, that is dull parents need to be taught how how to parent.

From New York Times • Dec. 19, 2014

Wynn tosses him another broccoli hypo, asking whether the government has the power to mandate the serving of broccoli to the unwilling.

From Slate • May 10, 2011

If you've read about hyper and hypo on page 102, you may wonder whether there's such a word as hypobole.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner