Final answer:
The prefix 'hypo-' means 'below' or 'under', indicating a lesser or reduced state of the base word.
Step-by-step explanation:
The prefix hypo- means 'below' or 'under'. It's used to form words that indicate a lesser or reduced state of the base word. For example, in chemistry, an ion with one fewer oxygen atom than the -ite anion is given a hypo- prefix to indicate this reduction. The use of prefixes is common in many disciplines and understanding them can help decipher the meaning of new words.