A prefix or combining form meaning incomplete, unfinished, or deficient, used in medical and scientific terminology.
From Greek 'ateles' (incomplete, imperfect), where 'ateles' comes from 'a-' (without) + 'telos' (end, completion). Used as a productive combining form in medical terminology from the 19th century onward.
Medical students quickly learn 'atelo-' as a prefix that signals something is broken or incomplete in the body—it's like a linguistic red flag that means 'this patient is missing something important.'
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