hypo

1
[ hahy-poh ]

noun,plural hy·pos.
  1. a hypodermic syringe or injection.

  2. a stimulus or boost.

verb (used with object)
  1. to administer a hypodermic injection to.

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

  1. to increase, boost, or augment: to hypo the car's power by installing a bigger engine.

Origin of hypo

1
First recorded in 1900–05; by shortening of hypodermic; sense “stimulate” perhaps by association with hype1; see -o

Other definitions for hypo (2 of 4)

hypo2
[ hahy-poh ]

Origin of hypo

2
First recorded in 1855–60; shortening of hyposulfite

Other definitions for hypo (3 of 4)

hypo3
[ hahy-poh ]

nounArchaic.

Origin of hypo

3
First recorded in 1700–10; by shortening

Other definitions for hypo- (4 of 4)

hypo-

  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).

Origin of hypo-

4
<Greek, combining form of hypó under (preposition), below (adv.); cognate with Latin sub (see sub-); cf. up
  • Also especially before a vowel, hyp- .

Words that may be confused with hypo-

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How to use hypo in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hypo (1 of 4)

hypo1

/ (ˈhaɪpəʊ) /


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

Origin of hypo

1
C19: shortened from hyposulphite

British Dictionary definitions for hypo (2 of 4)

hypo2

/ (ˈhaɪpəʊ) /


nounplural -pos informal

British Dictionary definitions for hypo- (3 of 4)

hypo-

prefix
  1. under, beneath, or below: hypodermic

  2. lower; at a lower point: hypogastrium

  1. less than: hypoploid

  2. (in medicine) denoting a deficiency or an abnormally low level: hypothyroid; hypoglycaemia

  3. incomplete or partial: hypoplasia

  4. indicating that a chemical compound contains an element in a lower oxidation state than usual: hypochlorous acid

Origin of hypo-

3
from Greek, from hupo under

British Dictionary definitions for Hypo- (4 of 4)

Hypo-

prefix
  1. indicating a plagal mode in music: Hypodorian

Origin of Hypo-

4
from Greek: beneath (it lies a fourth below the corresponding authentic mode)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for hypo-

hypo-

  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.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.