I85PREP
⌘ K
Medical Terminology study materials
Medical Terminology study resources

Medical Terminology practice questions

One question at a time. Build your Medical Terminology understanding.

First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Word Building and Word Elements

Which combining vowel is most commonly used to link a word root to a suffix in medical terms?

  1. e
  2. o Correct answer.
  3. i
  4. a

Explanation

The combining vowel is usually 'o'. It is most often inserted between a root and a suffix beginning with a consonant, or between two roots, to make the term easier to pronounce.

Question 2Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -itis, as in gastritis, means:

  1. Pain
  2. Inflammation Correct answer.
  3. Surgical removal
  4. Enlargement

Explanation

-itis is the suffix for inflammation, so gastritis is inflammation of the stomach. It is one of the most common suffixes in medical terminology.

Question 3Word Building and Word Elements

The prefix tachy- means:

  1. Slow
  2. Normal
  3. Rapid Correct answer.
  4. Absent

Explanation

tachy- means fast or rapid, as in tachycardia (rapid heart rate). Its common opposite is brady-, which means slow.

Question 4Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -ectomy means:

  1. Surgical removal Correct answer.
  2. Creation of an opening
  3. Visual examination
  4. Incision into an organ

Explanation

-ectomy denotes surgical removal or excision, as in appendectomy. It contrasts with -otomy (incision) and -ostomy (creating an opening).

Question 5Word Building and Word Elements

A word root is best described as:

  1. A prefix showing position
  2. A word part placed at the end
  3. A vowel that joins two word parts
  4. The core meaning of a term Correct answer.

Explanation

The word root carries the fundamental meaning of the term, and every medical term contains at least one. Prefixes and suffixes are added to modify that core meaning.

Question 6Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -logy, as in cardiology, means:

  1. Fear of
  2. Record of
  3. Study of Correct answer.
  4. Treatment of

Explanation

-logy means the study of a subject, so cardiology is the study of the heart. The related suffix -logist denotes the specialist who practises that study.

Question 7Word Building and Word Elements

The prefix brady- means:

  1. Fast
  2. Slow Correct answer.
  3. Deficient
  4. Excessive

Explanation

brady- means slow, as in bradycardia (slow heart rate). It is the direct opposite of tachy-.

Question 8Word Building and Word Elements

The combining form cardi/o refers to the:

  1. Heart Correct answer.
  2. Lungs
  3. Kidney
  4. Liver

Explanation

cardi/o is the combining form for heart, seen in terms such as cardiomegaly and cardiology. The final 'o' is the combining vowel, not part of the root's meaning.

Question 9Word Building and Word Elements

When a suffix begins with a vowel, the combining vowel of the root is:

  1. Usually dropped Correct answer.
  2. Doubled before the suffix
  3. Changed to the letter i
  4. Always retained in the term

Explanation

The combining vowel exists mainly to ease pronunciation, so it is normally dropped when the suffix already starts with a vowel. For example, gastr/o + -itis becomes gastritis, not gastroitis.

Question 10Word Building and Word Elements

Which term correctly means inflammation of the stomach?

  1. Gastromegaly
  2. Gastrotomy
  3. Gastrectomy
  4. Gastritis Correct answer.

Explanation

gastr/o (stomach) plus -itis (inflammation) yields gastritis; the combining vowel is dropped before the vowel-initial suffix. Each of the other terms uses a different suffix and therefore carries a different meaning.

Question 11Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -ostomy differs from -otomy in that -ostomy means:

  1. Creation of a permanent opening Correct answer.
  2. Suturing together of two structures
  3. Complete surgical removal of an organ
  4. A surgical incision made into an organ

Explanation

-ostomy denotes the surgical creation of an opening, often bringing an organ to the body surface, as in colostomy. -otomy, by contrast, is a cut into an organ that is then closed.

Question 12Word Building and Word Elements

In the term intercostal, the prefix inter- indicates that the structure is located:

  1. Above
  2. Around
  3. Within
  4. Between Correct answer.

Explanation

inter- means between, so intercostal means between the ribs. It should not be confused with intra-, which means within.

Question 13Word Building and Word Elements

Which suffix would be added to a root to produce a term meaning pain?

  1. -rrhea
  2. -plegia
  3. -emia
  4. -algia Correct answer.

Explanation

-algia means pain, as in neuralgia and arthralgia. It is interchangeable in meaning with -dynia.

Question 14Word Building and Word Elements

The plural form of the term diagnosis is:

  1. Diagnosae
  2. Diagnoses Correct answer.
  3. Diagnosises
  4. Diagnosi

Explanation

Nouns ending in -sis form the plural by changing -sis to -ses, so diagnosis becomes diagnoses. The same pattern appears in prognosis/prognoses and metastasis/metastases.

Question 15Word Building and Word Elements

In the term pericardium, the prefix peri- indicates position:

  1. Inside
  2. Through
  3. Around Correct answer.
  4. Beneath

Explanation

peri- means around, so the pericardium is the structure around the heart. Each prefix of position gives a distinct relationship between structures.

Question 16Word Building and Word Elements

Which combining form is used to build terms meaning muscle?

  1. My/o Correct answer.
  2. Oste/o
  3. Myel/o
  4. Neur/o

Explanation

my/o means muscle, as in myalgia and myocardium. myel/o looks similar but refers to bone marrow or spinal cord.

Question 17Word Building and Word Elements

Dysuria is built from dys- + ur/o + -ia. The term means:

  1. Difficult urination Correct answer.
  2. Presence of blood in the urine
  3. Complete absence of urine production
  4. Excessive output of urine

Explanation

dys- means difficult or painful, ur/o refers to urine, and -ia denotes a condition, so dysuria is difficult or painful urination. Changing the prefix or suffix changes the meaning substantially.

Question 18Word Building and Word Elements

Which prefix means before in time or in position?

  1. Ante- Correct answer.
  2. Post-
  3. Anti-
  4. Retro-

Explanation

ante- means before, as in antepartum (before birth). It is easily confused with anti-, which means against.

Question 19Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -megaly denotes:

  1. Hardening of tissue
  2. Narrowing of a passage
  3. Softening of tissue
  4. Enlargement Correct answer.

Explanation

-megaly means enlargement, as in hepatomegaly and cardiomegaly. It describes size rather than the condition of the tissue itself.

Question 20Word Building and Word Elements

The prefix hyper- attached to emesis (vomiting) produces a term meaning:

  1. Painful vomiting
  2. Blood in the vomit
  3. Absence of vomiting
  4. Excessive vomiting Correct answer.

Explanation

hyper- means excessive or above normal, so hyperemesis is excessive vomiting. The opposite prefix hypo- would indicate something below normal rather than an excess.

Question 21Word Building and Word Elements

Which term means pertaining to below the skin?

  1. Percutaneous
  2. Epidermal
  3. Intradermal
  4. Subcutaneous Correct answer.

Explanation

sub- means below or under, cutane/o means skin, and -ous means pertaining to, giving subcutaneous. Each of the other terms places the relationship to the skin differently.

Question 22Word Building and Word Elements

In the term electrocardiogram, which element means record?

  1. Cardiogram
  2. -gram Correct answer.
  3. Cardi/o
  4. Electr/o

Explanation

The term divides as electr/o (electricity) + cardi/o (heart) + -gram (record), so -gram is the element meaning record. A -graph is the instrument that makes the record.

Question 23Word Building and Word Elements

In the term postoperative, the prefix indicates that the care took place:

  1. After surgery Correct answer.
  2. Instead of surgery
  3. Before surgery
  4. During surgery

Explanation

post- means after, so postoperative care is care given following a surgical procedure. The contrasting prefix ante- or pre- would place the care before the procedure.

Question 24Word Building and Word Elements

A term ending in -rrhea, such as rhinorrhea, describes:

  1. A softening of tissue
  2. A surgical puncture
  3. A flow or discharge Correct answer.
  4. An abnormal narrowing

Explanation

-rrhea means a flow or discharge, so rhinorrhea is a discharge from the nose. Related but distinct suffixes include -rrhagia (bursting forth of blood) and -rrhaphy (suturing).

Question 25Word Building and Word Elements

In gastroenteritis, a vowel appears between gastr/o and enter/o because:

  1. It marks a plural form
  2. The prefix requires it
  3. The suffix begins with a vowel
  4. It links two roots Correct answer.

Explanation

When two word roots are joined, a combining vowel (usually 'o') is kept between them to ease pronunciation, so gastr/o + enter/o yields gastroenter-. The final combining vowel is then dropped before the vowel-initial suffix -itis.

Question 26Word Building and Word Elements

The plural form of the singular term bacterium is:

  1. bacteria Correct answer.
  2. bacteriae
  3. bacteriuma
  4. bacterii

Explanation

Many medical terms of Latin origin ending in -um form the plural by changing -um to -a. The same pattern appears in atrium/atria and datum/data. The other endings shown do not correspond to any Latin plural rule used in medical terminology.

Question 27Word Building and Word Elements

The combining form hepat/o refers to the:

  1. spleen
  2. liver Correct answer.
  3. kidney
  4. stomach

Explanation

Hepat/o is the combining form for liver, so hepatitis is inflammation of the liver and hepatomegaly is enlargement of the liver. Combining forms are built from a word root plus a vowel, usually o, that links the root to the next element.

Question 28Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -pexy means:

  1. crushing of a stone
  2. surgical fixation Correct answer.
  3. incision into a duct
  4. removal of tissue

Explanation

The suffix -pexy means surgical fixation or suspension of an organ, as in hysteropexy. Recognizing surgical suffixes lets you distinguish a procedure that stabilizes tissue from one that removes, cuts, or crushes it.

Question 29Word Building and Word Elements

Which suffix means surgical puncture to aspirate fluid?

  1. -tripsy
  2. -desis
  3. -clasis
  4. -centesis Correct answer.

Explanation

-centesis denotes a surgical puncture, usually to withdraw fluid, as in thoracentesis and amniocentesis. The other suffixes denote crushing, binding, and breaking, respectively, none of which involve inserting a needle for aspiration.

Question 30Word Building and Word Elements

The prefix retro- in a term such as retroperitoneal indicates a position that is:

  1. beside
  2. around
  3. behind Correct answer.
  4. above

Explanation

Retro- means behind or backward, so retroperitoneal structures lie behind the peritoneum. Prefixes of position are frequently tested through terms describing where an organ sits relative to another structure.

Question 31Word Building and Word Elements

The prefix ad- means:

  1. without
  2. toward Correct answer.
  3. through
  4. away from

Explanation

Ad- means toward, as in adduction, where a limb is drawn toward the body's midline. Its opposite, ab-, means away from. Many prefixes exist as opposing pairs, which makes learning them together efficient.

Question 32Word Building and Word Elements

The combining form myel/o can refer to the:

  1. cartilage or joint capsule
  2. peripheral nerve or vessel
  3. spinal cord or marrow Correct answer.
  4. skeletal muscle or tendon

Explanation

Myel/o refers to bone marrow or the spinal cord, so myelitis is inflammation of the spinal cord and myeloma is a marrow tumor. Context supplied by the suffix determines which of the two meanings applies.

Question 33Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -plasty means:

  1. surgical repair Correct answer.
  2. surgical crushing
  3. surgical removal
  4. surgical puncture

Explanation

-plasty means surgical repair or reconstruction, as in rhinoplasty and angioplasty. It describes reshaping or rebuilding tissue rather than taking tissue out or puncturing it.

Question 34Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -scopy means:

  1. visual examination Correct answer.
  2. surgical removal
  3. laboratory analysis
  4. tissue destruction

Explanation

-scopy means visual examination using an instrument, as in endoscopy and laparoscopy. The related noun ending -scope names the instrument, while -scopy names the procedure of looking.

Question 35Word Building and Word Elements

A combining form is best described as:

  1. suffix attached to root
  2. prefix plus a vowel
  3. two roots joined by a vowel
  4. root plus combining vowel Correct answer.

Explanation

A combining form is a word root to which a combining vowel, usually o, has been attached, such as cardi/o or gastr/o. The vowel eases pronunciation when the root is joined to another root or to a suffix beginning with a consonant.

Question 36Word Building and Word Elements

Which suffix means surgical suturing?

  1. -rrhexis
  2. -rrhagia
  3. -rrhaphy Correct answer.
  4. -rrhea

Explanation

-rrhaphy means suturing or stitching, as in herniorrhaphy. The similar-looking endings -rrhagia, -rrhexis, and -rrhea denote bursting forth of blood, rupture, and discharge or flow, respectively.

Question 37Word Building and Word Elements

In the term hyperglycemia, which element carries the meaning blood?

  1. -emia Correct answer.
  2. glyc/o
  3. hyper-
  4. -ia

Explanation

The suffix -emia means blood or blood condition, so hyperglycemia literally describes excessive sugar in the blood. The prefix hyper- supplies the meaning excessive, glyc/o supplies sugar, and -ia marks a condition.

Question 38Word Building and Word Elements

In the term cholecystectomy, the two word roots refer to:

  1. neck and bladder
  2. bile and stone
  3. bile and bladder Correct answer.
  4. gallbladder and stone

Explanation

Cholecystectomy combines chol/e (bile) with cyst/o (bladder or sac) and -ectomy (removal), so the term means removal of the gallbladder, the sac that stores bile. A stone would be indicated by lith/o, which does not appear in this term.

Question 39Word Building and Word Elements

The suffix -ectasis, as seen in the term bronchiectasis, means:

  1. hardening
  2. dilation Correct answer.
  3. narrowing
  4. profuse bleeding

Explanation

Suffixes of this type name a pathologic condition, and -ectasis specifically denotes stretching or dilation of a structure. Narrowing is expressed by -stenosis, hardening by -sclerosis, and bleeding by -rrhage.

Question 40Word Building and Word Elements

A surgical report documents a nephrolithotomy. Based on its word elements, this procedure is best described as:

  1. radiographic imaging of the kidney with contrast
  2. incision into the kidney to remove a stone Correct answer.
  3. surgical fixation of a floating kidney
  4. creation of a permanent opening into the kidney

Explanation

The term joins nephr/o (kidney), lith/o (stone), and -tomy (incision), so the whole term means an incision made to remove a stone from the kidney. -pexy means fixation, -graphy means recording or imaging, and -stomy means creating an opening.

Question 41Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

The prefix brady- appears in terms such as bradycardia. What does brady- mean?

  1. Painful
  2. Irregular
  3. Slow Correct answer.
  4. Fast

Explanation

Brady- is a prefix of rate that means slow, as in bradycardia (a slow heart rate) and bradypnea (slow breathing). Its common opposite is tachy-, meaning fast.

Question 42Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

The suffix -rrhea, as in rhinorrhea, indicates which of the following?

  1. Rupture
  2. Repair
  3. Flow Correct answer.
  4. Hardening

Explanation

-rrhea derives from Greek rhein, 'to flow,' and denotes a flow or discharge, as in diarrhea and rhinorrhea. It is a diagnostic suffix describing a symptom rather than a procedure.

Question 43Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

The combining form cardi- refers to which body structure?

  1. Kidney
  2. Lung
  3. Liver
  4. Heart Correct answer.

Explanation

Cardi- comes from Greek kardia and is the combining form for heart, seen in cardiac, cardiology, and myocardium. It can be joined with many suffixes to build cardiovascular terms.

Question 44Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

Which prefix means 'around' or 'surrounding'?

  1. Trans-
  2. Peri- Correct answer.
  3. Extra-
  4. Intra-

Explanation

Peri- means around or surrounding, as in pericardium (the sac around the heart) and perineum. Directional prefixes such as this specify the position of one structure relative to another.

Question 45Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

The suffix -ectomy, as in appendectomy, denotes which procedure?

  1. Surgical puncture
  2. Surgical removal Correct answer.
  3. Surgical incision
  4. Surgical fixation

Explanation

-ectomy combines ec- (out) with -tomy (cutting) and means surgical removal or excision. The ec- element distinguishes it from a simple incision.

Question 46Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

Which suffix means 'creation of an artificial opening'?

  1. -rrhaphy
  2. -otomy
  3. -ostomy Correct answer.
  4. -ectomy

Explanation

-ostomy means the creation of a surgical opening, as in colostomy, and comes from stoma, meaning mouth or opening. The related -otomy means only cutting into a structure.

Question 47Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

The suffix -megaly, as in hepatomegaly, means which of the following?

  1. Shrinking of tissue
  2. Enlargement Correct answer.
  3. Softening of tissue
  4. Hardening of tissue

Explanation

-megaly comes from Greek megas, meaning large, and denotes enlargement of an organ, as in cardiomegaly and splenomegaly. It is a diagnostic suffix describing a physical finding.

Question 48Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

The suffix -algia, as in neuralgia, indicates which of the following?

  1. Weakness
  2. Pain Correct answer.
  3. Numbness
  4. Paralysis

Explanation

-algia means pain, as in neuralgia (nerve pain) and arthralgia (joint pain). The same meaning is carried by the root alg- when it appears at the beginning of a term.

Question 49Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

A combining form is a root plus a combining vowel. When is that vowel usually dropped?

  1. In long terms
  2. Before a vowel Correct answer.
  3. Before a consonant
  4. After a prefix

Explanation

The combining vowel, usually o, is dropped when the suffix begins with a vowel, so gastr/o plus -itis becomes gastritis. It is normally retained before a consonant-initial suffix, as in gastromegaly.

Question 50Prefixes, Suffixes, and Combining Forms

Which is the correct plural form of the singular term arthritis?

  1. Arthritises
  2. Arthritia
  3. Arthritides Correct answer.
  4. Arthritae

Explanation

Greek-derived terms ending in -itis form the plural by changing the ending to -itides, so arthritis becomes arthritides. The same pattern gives bronchitis/bronchitides.