Common Terms and Word Elements for the Anatomy of the Nervous System

Question 1

NERV/O
(nĕr‐vō)

Answer 1

Nerve

Question 2

NEUR/O
(nū‐rō)

Answer 2

Nerve, sinew

Question 3

CRANI/O
(krā‐nē‐ō)

Answer 3

Cranium (portion of the skull that encloses the brain)

Question 4

CEPHAL/O
(sĕf‐ă‐lō)

Answer 4

Head

Question 5

ENCEPHAL/O
(ĕn‐sef‐ă‐lō)

‐ENCEPHALON
(en‐sef‐ă‐lŏn)

Answer 5

Brain

Question 6

CEREBR/O
(sĕr‐ĕ‐brō)

Answer 6

Cerebrum (largest part of the brain), brain

Question 7

CEREBELL/O
(sĕr‐ĕ‐bĕl‐ō)

Answer 7

Cerebellum

Question 8

PONT/O
(pŏn‐tō)

Answer 8

Pons (of the brain), bridge‐like structure

Question 9

LIMB/O
(lim‐bō)

Answer 9

Limbic system, border

Question 10

HIPPOCAMP/O
(hip‐ŏ‐kam‐pō)

Answer 10

Hippocampus, seahorse

Question 11

THALAM/O
(thăl‐ăm‐ō)

Answer 11

Thalamus (mass of gray matter located in the diencephalon), chamber, inner room

Question 12

AMYGDAL/O
(ă‐mig‐dă‐lō)

Answer 12

Amygdala (almond‐shaped nuclei in the temporal lobe), almond, tonsil

Question 13

NUCLE/O
(nū‐klē‐ō)

Answer 13

Nucleus (group of neuronal cell bodies), core, little nut or kernel

Question 14

MENING/O
(mĕn‐ĭn‐gō)

‐MENINX
(mē‐ningks)

Answer 14

Meninx (one of the three membranes enveloping the brain and spinal cord), membrane

Question 15

LEPT/O
(lĕp‐tō)

Answer 15

Thin

Question 16

PACHY‐
(pak‐ē)

PACH/O
(pak‐ō)

Answer 16

Thick

Question 17

ARACHN/O
(ă‐rak‐nō)

Answer 17

Arachnoid membrane, spider, spider‐like

Question 18

DUR/O
(dū‐rō)

Answer 18

Dura mater membrane, hard

Question 19

LOB/O
(lō‐bō)

Answer 19

Lobe

Question 20

GYR/O
(jī‐rō)

Answer 20

Gyrus (a convolution of the cerebrum), circle, ring

Question 21

SULC/O
(sŭl‐kō)

Answer 21

Sulcus (groove of brain), furrow, groove

Question 22

FISSUR/O
(fi‐shoor‐ō)

Answer 22

Fissure, deep groove

Question 23

FID/O
(fĭ‐dō)

FISS/O
(fĭ‐sō)

Answer 23

Split, Cleave

Question 24

VENTRICUL/O
(ven‐trik‐yŭ‐lō)

Answer 24

Ventricle, small cavity

Question 25

COEL/O (sē‐lō) CEL/O (sē‐lō)

Answer 25

Cavity, Hollow

Question 26

CORTIC/O (kor‐tĭ‐kō)

Answer 26

Cortex (cerebrum), outer layer, bark

Question 27

MYEL/O (mī‐ĕ‐lō)

Answer 27

Spinal cord, marrow

Question 28

MEDULL/O (mĕ‐dŭl‐ō)

Answer 28

Medulla, marrow

Question 29

POLI/O (pōl‐ē‐ō)

Answer 29

Gray, gray matter of CNS

Question 30

FASCICUL/O (fă‐sik‐yŭ‐lō)

Answer 30

Fascicle, bundle of longitudinal fibers

Question 31

FUNICUL/O (fū‐nik‐yŭ‐lō)

Answer 31

Funicle, rope‐like

Question 32

FUN/O (fū‐nō)

Answer 32

Rope, cord

Question 33

RADICUL/O (ră‐dĭk‐ū‐lō) RADIC/O (răd‐ĭ‐kō)

Answer 33

Nerve root, root

Question 34

RHIZ/O (rī‐zŏt‐ō)

Answer 34

Nerve root, root

Question 35

RAM/O (rā‐mō)

Answer 35

Nerve branch, branch

Question 36

PLEX/O (pleks‐ō)

Answer 36

Plexus (interwoven network of nerves, blood, lymphatic vessels)

Question 37

GANGLI/O (gang‐glē‐ō)

Answer 37

Ganglion (groups of nerve cells)

Question 38

GLI/O (glī‐ō)

Answer 38

Glia (supporting tissue of the nervous system), glue

Question 39

SOMAT/O (sō‐măt‐ō) SOM/O (sō‐mō) ‐SOME (sōm)

Answer 39

Body (body of neuron)

Question 40

DENDR/O (dĕn‐drō)

Answer 40

Dendrite (part of neuron), tree, branched structure

Question 41

AX/O (ak‐sō)

Answer 41

Axon (long process of a neuron), axle, axis

Question 42

NOT/O (nōt‐ō)

Answer 42

The back

Question 43

SPIN/O (spī‐nō)

Answer 43

Spine, thorn, vertebral column

Question 44

VERTEBR/O (vĕr‐tĕ‐brō)

Answer 44

Vertebra, back bone

Question 45

SPONDYL/O (spŏn‐dĭ‐lō)

Answer 45

Vertebra