Medical Terminology 1 (word roots, prefixes, suffixes and combining forms)

Question 1

a-, an-

Answer 1

Absence or lack (acardia- lack of a heart); (anaerobic- in the absence of oxygen)

Question 2

ab-

Answer 2

Departing from; away from (abnormal- departing from normal)

Question 3

acou-

Answer 3

Hearing (acoustics- the science of sound)

Question 4

ac-, acro-

Answer 4

Extreme or extremity; peak (acrodermatitis- inflammation of the skin of the extremities)

Question 5

ad-

Answer 5

To or toward (adorbital- toward the orbit)

Question 6

aden-, adeno-

Answer 6

Gland (adeniform- resembling a gland in shape)

Question 7

adren-

Answer 7

Toward the kidney (adrenal gland- adjacent to the kidney)

Question 8

aero-

Answer 8

Air (aerobic respiration, oxygen-requiring metabolism)

Question 9

af-

Answer 9

Toward (afferent neurons, which carry impulses to the central nervous system)

Question 10

agon-

Answer 10

Contest (agonistic and antagonistic muscles- which oppose each other)

Question 11

alb-

Answer 11

White (corpus albicans of the ovary- a white scar tissue)

Question 12

ailment-

Answer 12

Nourish (alimentary canal or digestive tract)

Question 13

allel-

Answer 13

Of one another (alleles- alternative expression of a gene)

Question 14

amphi-

Answer 14

On both sides; of both kinds (amphibian, an organism capable of living in water and on land)

Question 15

ana-

Answer 15

Apart, up, again (anaphase of mitosis, when the chromosomes seperate)

Question 16

anastomos-

Answer 16

Come together (arteriovenous anastomosis, a connection between an artery and a vein)

Question 17

aneurysm

Answer 17

A widening (aortic aneurism, a weak spot that causes enlargement of the blood vessel)

Question 18

angi-

Answer 18

Vessel (angiitis- inflammation of a lymph vessel or blood vessel)

Question 19

angin-

Answer 19

Chocked (angina pectoris- a chocked feeling in the chest due to dysfunction of the heart)

Question 20

ant-, anti-

Answer 20

Opposed to; preventing or inhibiting (anticoagulant, a substance that prevents blood coagulation)

Question 21

ante-

Answer 21

Preceding; before (antecubital, in front of the elbow)

Question 22

aort-

Answer 22

Great artery (aorta)

Question 23

ap-, api-

Answer 23

Tip, extremity (apex of the heart)

Question 24

append-

Answer 24

Hang to (appendiculars skeleton)

Question 25

aqua-, aque-

Answer 25

Water (aqueous solutions)

Question 26

arbor-

Answer 26

Tree (arbor vitae of the cerebellum, the treelike pattern of white matter)

Question 27

areola-

Answer 27

Open space (areolar connective tissue, a loose connective tissue)

Question 28

arrect-

Answer 28

Upright (arrector pili muscles of the skin, which make the hairs stand erect)

Question 29

arthr-, arthro-

Answer 29

Joint (arthropathy, any joint disease)

Question 30

artic-

Answer 30

Joint (articular surfaces of bones, the points of connection)

Question 31

atri-

Answer 31

Vestibule atria, upper chambers of the heart

Question 32

auscult-

Answer 32

Listen (auscultatory method for measuring blood pressure)

Question 33

aut-, auto-

Answer 33

Self (autogenous, self- generated)

Question 34

ax-, axi-, axo-

Answer 34

Axis, axle (axial skeleton, axis of vertebral column)

Question 35

azyg-

Answer 35

Unpaired (azygous vein, an unpaired vessel)

Question 36

baro-

Answer 36

Pressure (baroreceptors for monitoring blood pressure)

Question 37

basal-

Answer 37

Base (basal lamina of epithelial basement membrane)

Question 38

bi-

Answer 38

Two (bicuspid- having two cusps)

Question 39

bili-

Answer 39

Bile (bilirubin- a bile pigment)

Question 40

bio-

Answer 40

Life (biology- the study of life and living organisms)

Question 41

blast-

Answer 41

Bud or germ (blastocyte- undifferentiated embryonic cell)

Question 42

brachi-

Answer 42

Arm (brachial plexus of peripheral nervous system supplies the arm)

Question 43

brady-

Answer 43

Slow (bradycardia- abnormally slow heart rate)

Question 44

brev-

Answer 44

Short (peroneus brevis- a short leg muscle)

Question 45

broncho-

Answer 45

Bronchus (bronchouspasm- spasmodic contraction of bronchial muscle)

Question 46

bucco-

Answer 46

Cheek (buccolabial, pertaining to the cheek and lip)

Question 47

calor-

Answer 47

Heat (calories- a measure of energy)

Question 48

capill-

Answer 48

Hair (blood and lymph capillaries)

Question 49

caput-

Answer 49

Head (decapitate, remove the head)

Question 50

carcin-

Answer 50

Cancer (carcinogen- a cancer-causing agent)

Question 51

cardi-, cardio-

Answer 51

Heart (cardiotoxic, harmful to the heart)

Question 52

carneo-

Answer 52

Flesh (trabeculae carneae- ridges of muscle in the ventricles of the heart)

Question 53

carot-

Answer 53

1) carrot 2) stupor 1) carotene, an orange pigment 2)carotid arteries in the neck, blockage causes fainting

Question 54

cata-

Answer 54

Down (catabolism- chemical breakdown)

Question 55

caud-

Answer 55

Tail (caudal- directional term)

Question 56

cec-

Answer 56

Blind (cecum of large intestine, a blind-ended pouch)

Question 57

cele-

Answer 57

Abdominal (celiac artery, in the abdomen)

Question 58

cephal-

Answer 58

Head (cephalometer- an instrument for measuring the head)

Question 59

cerebro-

Answer 59

Brain (especially the cerebrum cerebrospinal, pertaining to the brain and spinal cord)

Question 60

cervic-, cervix-

Answer 60

Neck (cervix of the uterus)

Question 61

chiasm-

Answer 61

Crossing (optic chiasma, where optic nerves cross)

Question 62

chole-

Answer 62

Bile (cholesterol; cholecystokinin, a bile -secreting hormone)

Question 63

chondr-

Answer 63

Cartilage (chondrogenic - giving rise to cartilage)

Question 64

chrom-

Answer 64

Colored (chromosome- so named because they stain darkly)

Question 65

cili-

Answer 65

Small hair (ciliated epithelium)

Question 66

circum-

Answer 66

Around (circumnuclear, surrounding the nucleus)

Question 67

clavic-

Answer 67

Key (clavicle, a "skeleton key")

Question 68

co-, con-

Answer 68

Together (concentric- common center, together in the center)

Question 69

cata-

Answer 69

Down (catabolism- chemical breakdown)

Question 70

caud-

Answer 70

Tail (caudal- directional term)

Question 71

cec-

Answer 71

Blind (cecum of large intestine, a blind-ended pouch)

Question 72

cele-

Answer 72

Abdominal (celiac artery, in the abdomen)

Question 73

cephal-

Answer 73

Head (cephalometer- an instrument for measuring the head)

Question 74

cerebro-

Answer 74

Brain (especially the cerebrum cerebrospinal, pertaining to the brain and spinal cord)

Question 75

cervic-, cervix-

Answer 75

Neck (cervix of the uterus)

Question 76

chiasm-

Answer 76

Crossing (optic chiasma, where optic nerves cross)

Question 77

chole-

Answer 77

Bile (cholesterol; cholecystokinin, a bile -secreting hormone)

Question 78

chondr-

Answer 78

Cartilage (chondrogenic - giving rise to cartilage)

Question 79

chrom-

Answer 79

Colored (chromosome- so named because they stain darkly)

Question 80

cili-

Answer 80

Small hair (ciliated epithelium)

Question 81

circum-

Answer 81

Around (circumnuclear, surrounding the nucleus)

Question 82

clavic-

Answer 82

Key (clavicle, a "skeleton key")

Question 83

co-, con-

Answer 83

Together (concentric- common center, together in the center)

Question 84

coccy-

Answer 84

Cuckoo coccyx, which is beak-shaped

Question 85

cochlea-

Answer 85

Snail shell- the cochlea of the inner ear, which is coiled like a snail shell

Question 86

coel-

Answer 86

Hollow coelom- the ventral body cavity

Question 87

commis-

Answer 87

United, gray commissure of the spinal cord connects the two columns of gray matter

Question 88

contra-

Answer 88

Against- contraceptive, agent preventing conception

Question 89

corn-, cornu-

Answer 89

Horn- stratum corneum, outer layer of the skin composed of (horny) cells

Question 90

corona-

Answer 90

Crown- coronal suture of the skull

Question 91

corp-

Answer 91

Body- corpse, corpus luteum, hormone-secreting body in the ovary

Question 92

cort-

Answer 92

Bark- cortex, the outer layer of the brain, kidney, adrenal glands, and lymph nodes

Question 93

cost-

Answer 93

Rib- intercostal, between the ribs

Question 94

crani-

Answer 94

Skull- craniotomy, the skull operation

Question 95

crypt-

Answer 95

Hidden- cryptomenorrhea, a condition in which menstrual symptoms are experienced but no external loss of blood occurs

Question 96

cusps-

Answer 96

Pointed- bicuspid, tricuspid valves of the heart

Question 97

cutic-

Answer 97

Skin- cuticle of the nail

Question 98

cyan-

Answer 98

Blue- cyanosis, blue color of the skin due to lack of oxygen

Question 99

cyst-

Answer 99

Sac- bladder cystitis, inflammation of the urinary bladder

Question 100

cyt-

Answer 100

Cell- cytology, the study of cells

Question 101

de-

Answer 101

Undoing, reversal, loss, removal- | Deactivation, becoming inactive

Question 102

decid-

Answer 102

Falling off- deciduous (milk) teeth

Question 103

delta-

Answer 103

Triangular- deltoid muscle, roughly triangular in shape

Question 104

den-, dent

Answer 104

Tooth- dentin of the tooth

Question 105

dendr-

Answer 105

Tree, branch- dendrites, telodendria, both branches of a neuron

Question 106

derm-

Answer 106

Skin- dermis, deep layer of the skin

Question 107

desm-,

Answer 107

Bond- desmosmone, which binds adjacent epithelial cells

Question 108

di-

Answer 108

Twice, double- dimorphism, having two forms

Question 109

dia-

Answer 109

Through, between- diaphragm, the wall through or between two areas

Question 110

dialys-

Answer 110

Separate, break apart- kidney dialysis, in which waste products are removed from the blood

Question 111

diastol-

Answer 111

Stand apart- cardiac diastole, between successive contractions of the heart

Question 112

diure-

Answer 112

Urinate- diuretic, a drug that increases urine output

Question 113

dors-

Answer 113

The back- dorsal; dorsum; dorsiflexion

Question 114

duc-, duct-

Answer 114

Lead, draw- ductus defers which carries sperm from the epididymis into the urethra during ejaculation

Question 115

dura-

Answer 115

Hard- dura mater, tough outer meninx

Question 116

dys-

Answer 116

Difficult, faulty, painful- dyspepsia, disturbed digestion