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Brachy- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “short.” It is often used in medical and scientific terms.

Brachy- comes from the Greek ����������ý��, meaning “short.”

A medical term that you may be familiar with that features the combining form brachy- is brachycardia, also known as bradycardia. Brachycardia is “a slow heartbeat rate, usually less than 60 beats per minute.”

The first part of the word, brachy-, means “short.” The form -cardia can denotes an abnormal condition of the heart, from the Greek �첹����í�� meaning “heart.” Brachycardia literally translates to “short heart(beat).”

The combining form brady- in bradycardia means “slow,” if you were curious. Learn more in our entry for the word.

What are some words that use the combining form brachy-?

• brachybasia
• brachycerous
• brachycephalic
• brachydactyly
• brachygnathia
• brachystomatous

What are some other forms that brachy- may be commonly confused with?

• brachi-
• brachio-
• pachy-
• tachy-

The combining form -dactyly describes the nature of the “fingers” of an organism. For example, polydactyly is when an animal has more fingers or toes than normal. What is brachydactyly?