1.2 Medical root words, prefixes, suffixes and combining vowels

A combining vowel changes the meaning of a word.

• True

• False

Which of the following medical terms means ‘joint’?

• osteo

• pulmon

• arthr

• lipid

Which of the following best describes a prefix?

• The basic part of a word which provides meaning

• A letter or group of letters that is added to the beginning of a word

• A letter used to combine two parts of a word, making the word easier to say

• A letter or group of letters that is added to the end of a word

What is the root word in ‘hyperglycemia ’?

• Hyper

• glyc

• aemia

• The word does not contain a root

In medical terminology, every word has a suffix .

• True

• False

Which medical suffix means ‘inflammation’?

• -ism

• -genic

• -itis 

• -pathy

Which of the following medical suffixes means ‘study of’?

• -aemia

• -ism

• -logy

• - pathy

Select three medical prefixes. 

• tachy

• ism

• thyroid

• ab

• hypo

The suffix -aemia refers to…

• Skin

• Organs

• Blood

• Food

Which of the following is a suffix? Choose four.

• aemia

• hypo

• pathy

• sis

• itis