What it means
The beginning of words such as anatomy (cutting up, to study the body's parts), anabolism (building up of body tissue) and anaphylaxisan-uh-fuh-LAK-sisA sudden, severe allergic reaction that affects the whole body.ana- away, against-phylaxis protectionFull entry (an allergic reaction that turns the body's protection back against itself). It is different from a- and an-, which mean without, as in anemia.
Related terms
a-
A word beginning that means without, not or absence of; written an- before a vowel.
anaphylaxis
A sudden, severe allergic reaction that affects the whole body.