The prefix meaning deficient or decreased is?

• A. Hyper-
• B. Hypo-
• C. Endo-
• D. -osis

Answer: (B)

In medical terms, the prefix that means deficient or decreased is hypo-. It signals a lower-than-normal amount or level, and you can see this in common terms like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hypothermia (low body temperature), and hypoxia (insufficient oxygen). The idea is the prefix describes a state that is below the normal range. By contrast, hyper- means above or excessive, endo- means inside or within, and the suffix -osis denotes a condition or process rather than a measurement of quantity. So the correct idea to recognize here is hypo- as the marker for deficiency or decreased levels.