Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____	1.	Which of the following is a word root?
a.	hepat/o	
b.	-itis	
c.	gastr/o	
d.	cardi	
e.	peri-	

____	2.	In macroglossia (large tongue), macro- is a:
a.	consonant.	
b.	suffix.	
c.	word root.	
d.	prefix.	
e.	combining form.	

____	3.	Which of the following is an example of a combining vowel linking one root to another root?
a.	gastr/itis	
b.	gastr/o/dynia	
c.	gastr/o/esophag/itis	
d.	gastr/o/megaly	
e.	gastr/oma	

____	4.	Identify the vowel that is commonly attached to a word root to create a combining form.
a.	a	
b.	e	
c.	i	
d.	o	
e.	u	

____	5.	What does the prefix in post/mortem mean?
a.	Before	
b.	After	
c.	Death	
d.	Life	
e.	Beyond	

____	6.	What is the meaning of gastr/o?
a.	Mouth	
b.	Intestine	
c.	Stomach	
d.	Liver	
e.	Bladder	

____	7.	A therm/o/meter is an instrument for measuring temperature. In this word, -meter is a(n):
a.	adjective.	
b.	verb.	
c.	combining form.	
d.	compound word.	
e.	suffix.	

____	8.	To build a medical word, use a combining form before a suffix that begins with a:
a.	prefix.	
b.	suffix.	
c.	vowel.	
d.	consonant.	
e.	letter o.	

____	9.	Which of the following is a word root?
a.	hepat	
b.	hepato	
c.	hepatom	
d.	-megaly	
e.	hepatomegaly	

____	10.	A combining form is a word root plus a(n):
a.	prefix.	
b.	vowel.	
c.	suffix.	
d.	another word root.	
e.	consonant.	

____	11.	What does the suffix -ior mean?
a.	Small	
b.	Specialist	
c.	Condition	
d.	Pertaining to	
e.	Treatment	

____	12.	Define medical words by first defining the:
a.	prefix.	
b.	suffix.	
c.	middle part of the word.	
d.	combining form.	
e.	word root.	

____	13.	The word element always located at the beginning of a medical word is a:
a.	word stem.	
b.	combining vowel.	
c.	word root.	
d.	prefix.	
e.	combining form.	

____	14.	Which of the following terms contains a prefix?
a.	Gastritis	
b.	Hepatoma	
c.	Cardiology	
d.	Monocyte	
e.	Nephritis	

____	15.	Word endings are called:
a.	prefixes.	
b.	suffixes.	
c.	vowels.	
d.	consonants.	
e.	word roots.	

____	16.	What does the suffix -itis mean?
a.	Pain	
b.	Blood	
c.	Excision	
d.	Rupture	
e.	Inflammation	

____	17.	Which word means instrument for measuring the pelvis?
a.	Pelv/i/metry	
b.	Pelv/i/scope	
c.	Pelv/i/scopy	
d.	Pelv/i/meter	
e.	Pelv/i/therm	

____	18.	What is the plural form of nucleus?
a.	Nuclear	
b.	Nucleolus	
c.	Nuclei	
d.	Nucleic	
e.	Nucleii	

____	19.	Vowels marked with a macron (¯) indicate:
a.	short sound.	
b.	stress.	
c.	silent letter.	
d.	long sound.	
e.	diphthong.	

____	20.	The letter combination ps at the beginning of a word (as in psychosis) is pronounced:
a.	“pee”	
b.	“eff”	
c.	“ss”	
d.	“sh”	
e.	“cee”	

____	21.	In medical terms, ch (as in cholera) is usually pronounced:
a.	“chal”	
b.	“cha”	
c.	“k”	
d.	“aitch”	
e.	“cee”	

____	22.	In the terms bronchi and fungi, the i is pronounced:
a.	“ah”	
b.	“ee”	
c.	“eye”	
d.	“eah”	
e.	“aye”	

____	23.	The oe in roentgen is pronounced:
a.	“eh”	
b.	“oy”	
c.	“u”	
d.	“o”	
e.	“a”	

____	24.	To make words ending in y plural:
a.	retain the y and add es.	
b.	drop the y and add es.	
c.	drop the y and add i.	
d.	retain the y and add s.	
e.	drop the y and add ies.	

____	25.	What does the suffix -edema mean?
a.	Vomiting	
b.	Softening	
c.	Condition	
d.	Swelling	
e.	Hemorrhage	

____	26.	Which of the following combining forms means joint?
a.	oste/o	
b.	chondr/o	
c.	-ist	
d.	arthr/o	
e.	-osis	

____	27.	Arthr/o/centesis is a surgical puncture of a joint. In this word, arthr/o is a:
a.	combining form.	
b.	prefix.	
c.	word root.	
d.	suffix.	
e.	vowel.	

____	28.	Which of the following words means enlargement of the liver?
a.	hepat/oma	
b.	hepat/o/megaly	
c.	mega/hepat/ic	
d.	macro/hepat/oma	
e.	hepat/o/cele	

____	29.	Which of the following words means visual examination of a joint?
a.	Arthr/o/scopy	
b.	Arthr/o/pexy	
c.	Arthr/o/centesis	
d.	Arthr/o/desis	
e.	Arthr/o/scope	

____	30.	Arteri/o/stenosis is a condition in which one or both ureters are abnormally:
a.	enlarged.	
b.	diseased.	
c.	hardened.	
d.	narrowed.	
e.	dilated.	

____	31.	Which of the following words means dilation or expansion of the bronchus?
a.	bronch/o/cele	
b.	bronch/o/rrhagia	
c.	bronch/itis	
d.	bronchi/o/spasm	
e.	bronchi/ectasis	

____	32.	Which of the following words means pain in a nerve?
a.	Neur/o/blast	
b.	Neur/algia	
c.	Neur/o/lysis	
d.	Neur/o/glia	
e.	Neur/oma	

____	33.	An instrument to cut the skin is a:
a.	derm/o/scope.	
b.	dermat/o/meter.	
c.	derm/o/graph.	
d.	dermat/o/graphy.	
e.	derm/a/tome.	

____	34.	What does the suffix -edema mean?
a.	Vomiting	
b.	Softening	
c.	Condition	
d.	Swelling	
e.	Tumor	

____	35.	Which of the following suffixes means binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)?
a.	-plasty	
b.	-pexy	
c.	-desis	
d.	-centesis	
e.	-tomy	

____	36.	Which of the following words means double vision?
a.	Bivisual	
b.	Divisual	
c.	Monopia	
d.	Diplopia	
e.	Bilateral	

____	37.	Which of the following prefixes means around?
a.	trans-	
b.	dia-	
c.	supra-	
d.	circum-	
e.	esto-	

____	38.	The prefix dia- means:
a.	away from.	
b.	within.	
c.	wide.	
d.	against.	
e.	through, across.	

____	39.	The prefix uni- has the same meaning as:
a.	micro-.	
b.	meso-.	
c.	epi-.	
d.	mono-.	
e.	ante-.	

____	40.	Which of the following words means fear of blood?
a.	Multiphobic	
b.	Quadriphobia	
c.	Macrophobia	
d.	Superphobic	
e.	Hemophobia	

____	41.	The term that means condition without a breast is:
a.	a/mast/ia.	
b.	dys/mast/ia.	
c.	eu/mast/ia.	
d.	hemi/mast/ia.	
e.	super/mast/ia.	

____	42.	The prefix hypo- means:
a.	excessive.	
b.	below.	
c.	slow.	
d.	between.	
e.	above.	

____	43.	What are the prefixes that mean before, in front of?
a.	pre-, pro-	
b.	a-, an-	
c.	circum-, peri-	
d.	endo-, intra-	
e.	homo-, homeo-	

____	44.	Which of the following terms means pertaining to under the skin?
a.	Subungual	
b.	Hypodermic	
c.	Epidermis	
d.	Hyperdermic	
e.	Antecubital	

____	45.	The term arteri/o/stenosis means:
a.	opening of an artery.	
b.	nourishment of an artery.	
c.	narrowing or stricture of an artery.	
d.	plaque in an artery.	
e.	paralysis of an artery.	

True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.

____	46.	Compound words may consist of two or more word roots.

____	47.	A word root + o results in a combining form.

____	48.	Gastr/o is a combining form.

____	49.	A combining form consists of a prefix plus a word root.

____	50.	A combining form consists of a word root and a vowel.

____	51.	The combining vowel e is commonly used to form medical words.

____	52.	A combining vowel always connects a word root to a suffix.

____	53.	A combining vowel is usually an i.

____	54.	All suffixes begin with a vowel.

____	55.	In medical terminology, a suffix usually describes a position or direction.

____	56.	When a word changes from singular to plural form, the suffix is the part that changes.

____	57.	All medical words contain a prefix.

____	58.	Gastroenterologist is an example of a compound word.

____	59.	When defining a medical word, first define the suffix.

____	60.	Most medical words have Greek or Spanish origins.

____	61.	When adding a suffix that begins with a vowel, the combining form, rather than the word root, precedes the suffix.

____	62.	In the term hypodermic, hypo- is the combining form.

____	63.	The four elements used to form medical words are word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms.

____	64.	In the word syncope, the final e is pronounced as a separate syllable.

____	65.	The suffix -rrhaphy means suture.

Matching

Match the word elements with their meanings.
a.	-algia	
b.	-cele	
c.	-centesis	
d.	-clasis	
e.	-edema	
f.	-ectomy	
g.	-emesis	
h.	-emia	
i.	-graph	
j.	-itis	
k.	-osis	
l.	-pathy	
m.	-scope	
n.	circum-, peri-	
o.	dys-	
p.	macro-	
q.	pre-, pro-	
r.	primi-	
s.	retro-	
t.	super-	

____	66.	excision, removal

____	67.	vomiting

____	68.	inflammation

____	69.	instrument for examining

____	70.	surgical puncture

____	71.	disease

____	72.	swelling

____	73.	abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells)

____	74.	blood

____	75.	hernia, swelling

____	76.	instrument for recording

____	77.	to break; surgical fracture

____	78.	pain

____	79.	around

____	80.	before, in front

____	81.	backward, behind

____	82.	first

____	83.	upper, above

____	84.	large

____	85.	bad, painful, difficult

Match the medical terms with their definitions.
a.	appendectomy	
b.	arteriostenosis	
c.	arthrocentesis	
d.	cardiomegaly	
e.	chondromalacia	
f.	electrocardiogram	
g.	gastritis	
h.	gastroscope	
i.	hemiplegia	
j.	hemorrhage	
k.	hemophobia	
l.	hyperemesis	
m.	lithotripsy	
n.	lymphedema	
o.	mastopexy	
p.	myopathy	
q.	neuroma	
r.	osteotome	
s.	rhinoplasty	
t.	tracheostomy	

____	86.	fixation of the breast

____	87.	crushing a stone or calculus

____	88.	forming an opening (mouth) into the trachea

____	89.	narrowing or stricture of an artery

____	90.	enlargement of the heart

____	91.	excision of the appendix

____	92.	softening of cartilage

____	93.	surgical puncture of a joint

____	94.	disease of muscle

____	95.	tumor composed of nerve cells

____	96.	fear of blood

____	97.	inflammation of the stomach

____	98.	instrument to examine the stomach

____	99.	instrument to cut bone

____	100.	record of electrical activity of the heart

____	101.	bursting forth of blood

____	102.	excessive or above-normal vomiting

____	103.	swelling of lymph tissue

____	104.	paralysis of one side of the body

____	105.	surgical repair of the nose

Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology
Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

	1.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	2.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	3.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	4.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	5.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	6.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	7.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	8.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	9.	ANS:	A	PTS:	1

	10.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	11.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	12.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	13.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	14.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	15.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	16.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	17.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	18.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	19.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	20.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	21.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	22.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	23.	ANS:	A	PTS:	1

	24.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	25.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	26.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	27.	ANS:	A	PTS:	1

	28.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	29.	ANS:	A	PTS:	1

	30.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	31.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	32.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	33.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	34.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	35.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	36.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	37.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	38.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	39.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	40.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	41.	ANS:	A	PTS:	1

	42.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	43.	ANS:	A	PTS:	1

	44.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	45.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

TRUE/FALSE

	46.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	47.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	48.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	49.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	50.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	51.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	52.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	53.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	54.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	55.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	56.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	57.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	58.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	59.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	60.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	61.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	62.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	63.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	64.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	65.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

MATCHING

	66.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	67.	ANS:	G	PTS:	1

	68.	ANS:	J	PTS:	1

	69.	ANS:	M	PTS:	1

	70.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	71.	ANS:	L	PTS:	1

	72.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	73.	ANS:	K	PTS:	1

	74.	ANS:	H	PTS:	1

	75.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	76.	ANS:	I	PTS:	1

	77.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	78.	ANS:	A	PTS:	1

	79.	ANS:	N	PTS:	1

	80.	ANS:	Q	PTS:	1

	81.	ANS:	S	PTS:	1

	82.	ANS:	R	PTS:	1

	83.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	84.	ANS:	P	PTS:	1

	85.	ANS:	O	PTS:	1

	86.	ANS:	O	PTS:	1

	87.	ANS:	M	PTS:	1

	88.	ANS:	T	PTS:	1

	89.	ANS:	B	PTS:	1

	90.	ANS:	D	PTS:	1

	91.	ANS:	A	PTS:	1

	92.	ANS:	E	PTS:	1

	93.	ANS:	C	PTS:	1

	94.	ANS:	P	PTS:	1

	95.	ANS:	Q	PTS:	1

	96.	ANS:	K	PTS:	1

	97.	ANS:	G	PTS:	1

	98.	ANS:	H	PTS:	1

	99.	ANS:	R	PTS:	1

	100.	ANS:	F	PTS:	1

	101.	ANS:	J	PTS:	1

	102.	ANS:	L	PTS:	1

	103.	ANS:	N	PTS:	1

	104.	ANS:	I	PTS:	1

	105.	ANS:	S	PTS:	1