What does the prefix "non-" signify?

The prefix "non-" signifies "not." It is commonly used in medical terminology and everyday language to indicate negation or absence of a certain quality or condition. For example, in terms such as "noninfectious," it means that the infection is not present. This prefix helps clarify the meaning of medical terms by specifying that something does not possess a particular characteristic.

While "none" might imply a lack of something, it does not function the same way in constructing terms as the prefix "non-" does, which focuses on negation. Likewise, "near" and "without" convey different meanings entirely, as "near" suggests proximity and "without" indicates the absence of something, which is not the primary indication of the prefix "non-." Therefore, the answer "not" accurately captures the essence of what "non-" conveys.