# Prefix that means "in the middle of"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 30, 2007, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284 "2007-11-30T05:40:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/1 "2007-11-30T05:40:20Z")
The prefix pre- means, roughly speaking, before, while post- means after. Is there a prefix that means in the middle of? To help give some context, I’ve been asked to do a “postmortem” on a project that _hasn’t even completed yet_ and I’m feeling a bit snarky about it, but titling it “in-the-middle-of-mortem” just doesn’t quite have the right ring to it, you know? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/2 "2007-11-30T05:43:23Z")
inter-? ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/3 "2007-11-30T05:48:22Z")
mid-? ETA: …or “med-?” ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/4 "2007-11-30T05:49:22Z")
sub-? mid-? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/5 "2007-11-30T05:52:09Z")
meso? ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/6 "2007-11-30T05:54:02Z")
Midmortem Analysis? I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/7 "2007-11-30T06:10:30Z")
The term used in forensics is “perimortem” - around the time of death; as in, perimortem injury. ---
**Author:** ![bcullman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bcullman/32/8207_2.png) [@bcullman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bcullman)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/8 "2007-11-30T06:21:39Z")
intra- ? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/9 "2007-11-30T09:04:27Z")
medi-? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/10 "2007-11-30T09:47:16Z")
I realise true meanings get a bit twisted, and that’s OK as long as everyone knows what everybody means, but I’ve still got to say… Postmortem means _after death_ - I would normally reserve the use of that term for analysis or examination of something that has undergone a demise of some kind - either because it failed, or because it was shut down intentionally. That being the case, _midmortem_, if anything, means an analysis performed _during the demise_ of something. But maybe that’s just me. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/11 "2007-11-30T10:55:04Z")
“In-” is used in the sense of “in the middle of”, at least in some mathematical and linguistic terminology (e.g., [infix](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infix), [infix notation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infix_notation)). “Mid-” means, according to Merriam–Webster, “being the part in the middle or midst”. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/12 "2007-11-30T11:46:20Z")
[QUOTE=Rysto] I’ve been asked to do a “postmortem” on a project that _hasn’t even completed yet_ [/QUOTE] Sounds like your boss is pessimistic about it ever becoming completed. If so, “midmortem” sounds perfect! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/13 "2007-11-30T12:44:32Z")
**Epi-** , the middle one of the hypo-, epi-, hyper- trio. > **[Epi- Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/epi)** > > Epi- definition, a prefix occurring in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “upon,” “on,” “over,” “near,” “at,” “before,” “after” (epicedium; epidermis; epigene; epitome); on this model, used in the formation of new compound words (epicardium;... ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/14 "2007-11-30T15:58:53Z")
“Smackina-”? Like, “I was smackinamiddlea sumpin’”. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/15 "2007-11-30T19:08:06Z")
[QUOTE=Rysto] The prefix pre- means, roughly speaking, before, while post- means after. Is there a prefix that means in the middle of? To help give some context, I’ve been asked to do a “postmortem” on a project that _hasn’t even completed yet_ and I’m feeling a bit snarky about it, but titling it “in-the-middle-of-mortem” just doesn’t quite have the right ring to it, you know? [/QUOTE] Actually, “in the middle of a mortem” has the makings of a nice little Billy Joel song. . . ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/16 "2007-11-30T19:10:20Z")
Maybe “pre-postmortem” or “preliminary postmortem”? ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/17 "2007-11-30T19:49:51Z")
Death is an instant. Either something is or it isn’t. (Mostly dead aside). I think premortem is the word you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/18 "2007-11-30T19:54:50Z")
[QUOTE=Bewildebeest] Death is an instant. Either something is or it isn’t. (Mostly dead aside). [/QUOTE] You obviously haven’t see the last scene of a Shakespearean tragedy, or of a tragic grand opera, where the process of death takes several speeches or a long aria. And in reality there’s often no sharp dividing line between “mostly alive” and “mostly dead”. But I agree that a postmortem done before the death of a prject should be a premortem. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/19 "2007-11-30T20:13:28Z")
[QUOTE=Keeve] Sounds like your boss is pessimistic about it ever becoming completed. If so, “midmortem” sounds perfect! [/QUOTE] It’s actually a school project due next week. For reasons known only to those running this course, they want the documentation(including the “postmortem” analysis of what went wrong and what went right) before we even finish coding. Madness. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284/20 "2007-11-30T20:49:06Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] You obviously haven’t see the last scene of a Shakespearean tragedy, or of a tragic grand opera, where the process of death takes several speeches or a long aria. . [/QUOTE] or carving in stone the message "the castle of AAAAAAA… (\*apologies to the mods for inserting the obligatory Monty Python reference in a GQ thread. But sometimes, you gotta live dangerously…) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prefix-that-means-in-the-middle-of/428284.md?page=2)