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Quizzes > Health & Medicine > Human Anatomy & Medicine

Ready to Master Medical Terminology? Take the Quiz!

Simulate a medical terminology midterm test with our free practice quiz

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art icons of medical book, stethoscope, pencil and quiz letters on dark blue background for medical terminology exam

Use this medical terminology midterm exam quiz to practice prefixes, roots, and suffixes and see where you stand. You'll get a score at the end, so you can spot gaps before the exam and study smarter with our study guide and extra practice .

What does the prefix "brady-" mean?
Slow
Fast
Large
Small
The prefix brady- is derived from Greek and means slow or delayed. It is commonly used in terms like bradycardia, which describes a slow heart rate. Understanding such prefixes aids in decoding complex medical terminology. See
What is the meaning of the suffix "-itis"?
Disease
Dilatation
Tumor
Inflammation
The suffix -itis comes from Greek and indicates inflammation of a tissue or organ. It appears in terms like arthritis (inflammation of joints) and tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils). Recognizing -itis helps you identify inflammatory conditions when reading medical terms. See
What does the combining form "cardi/o" refer to?
Kidney
Liver
Heart
Brain
The combining form cardi/o is a Greek-derived element meaning heart. It is used in terms like cardiology (study of the heart) and cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle). Knowing combining forms is essential for breaking down and understanding medical vocabulary. See
What does the root "hepat-" refer to?
Skin
Brain
Bone
Liver
The root hepat- is derived from Greek and refers to the liver. It is present in terms like hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) and hepatomegaly (enlarged liver). Identifying roots can greatly aid in interpreting medical terms. See
The suffix "-ectomy" means which of the following?
Study of
Surgical repair
Inflammation
Surgical removal
The suffix -ectomy comes from Greek and denotes the surgical removal of a body part. It is used in terms like appendectomy (removal of the appendix) and mastectomy (removal of breast tissue). Understanding surgical suffixes is important for interpreting procedural terminology. See
What does the prefix "tachy-" mean?
Normal
Intermittent
Slow
Fast
The prefix tachy- is derived from Greek and means fast or rapid. It appears in terms like tachycardia (rapid heart rate) and tachypnea (rapid breathing). Recognizing prefixes like tachy- is fundamental to medical word analysis. See
The combining form "derm/a" refers to what?
Skin
Vein
Muscle
Bone
The combining form derm/a is a Greek-derived element meaning skin. It is used in terms like dermatology (study of skin) and dermatitis (inflammation of skin). Being familiar with such forms helps in the interpretation of skin-related medical terms. See
What does the prefix "hypo-" mean?
Above or excessive
Under or below
Within
Around
The prefix hypo- originates from Greek and means under or below normal. It is found in terms like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hypothermia (below normal body temperature). Prefix understanding is key to interpreting levels and positions in medical terms. See
What does the prefix "hyper-" mean?
Between
Under or below
Above or excessive
Outside
The prefix hyper- derives from Greek and signifies above normal or excessive. It appears in words like hypertension (high blood pressure) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Recognizing hyper- is crucial for understanding excessive conditions. See
The suffix "-ology" means which of these?
Inflammation
Surgical procedure
Disease
Study of
The suffix -ology comes from Greek and denotes the study of a particular field. It is used in terms like cardiology (study of the heart) and neurology (study of the nervous system). Understanding this suffix helps identify areas of medical specialization. See
The combining form "oste/o" refers to what?
Skin
Bone
Cartilage
Joint
The combining form oste/o is from Greek and means bone. It appears in terms like osteoporosis (porous bones) and osteoarthritis (arthritis of bone and joint). Knowing this combining form aids in understanding bone-related terms. See
What does the prefix "neuro-" refer to?
Brain
Nerve
Muscle
Tumor
The prefix neuro- is derived from Greek and refers to nerves or the nervous system. It is used in terms like neurology (study of the nervous system) and neuropathy (nerve disease). Recognizing neuro- is essential for interpreting neural medical terminology. See
The suffix "-pathy" means which of the following?
Inflammation
Disease
Study of
Surgical removal
The suffix -pathy comes from Greek and denotes disease or disorder. It is seen in terms like neuropathy (nerve disease) and cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease). Understanding -pathy helps identify pathological conditions. See
The combining form "enter/o" refers to what?
Stomach
Kidney
Liver
Intestine
The combining form enter/o is derived from Greek and refers to the intestine. It appears in terms like enteritis (inflammation of the intestine) and enteropathy (intestinal disease). Recognizing this form is key for gastrointestinal terminology. See
What does the prefix "angi/o" refer to?
Muscle
Nerve
Vessel
Gland
The combining form angi/o originates from Greek and means vessel, typically blood or lymph vessel. It is used in angioplasty (surgical repair of vessels) and angiogram (imaging of vessels). Knowing angi/o aids in understanding vascular-related terms. See
Which term describes inflammation of the skin?
Dermatitis
Hepatitis
Nephritis
Gastritis
Dermatitis combines the root dermat- meaning skin with the suffix -itis indicating inflammation. It refers to any inflammatory skin condition. Differentiating terms by their roots and suffixes aids in precise medical communication. See
What does the combining form "my/o" refer to?
Nerve
Lung
Muscle
Bone
The combining form my/o derives from Greek and means muscle. It is used in terms such as myopathy (muscle disease) and myalgia (muscle pain). Familiarity with my/o is crucial for understanding muscular system terminology. See
What is the study of the stomach and intestines called?
Endocrinology
Gastroenterology
Hepatology
Colonoscopy
Gastroenterology combines gastro- (stomach) and entero- (intestine) with -logy (study of) to denote the study of the digestive tract. It covers diseases and functions of the gastrointestinal system. Recognizing compound terms is important for medical specialties. See
The suffix "-emia" signifies what in medical terminology?
Blood condition
Nerve inflammation
Bone disease
Lung condition
The suffix -emia comes from Greek and denotes a condition of the blood. It appears in terms like anemia (low red blood cell count) and hypoxemia (low oxygen in blood). Understanding this suffix helps identify blood-related disorders. See
What does the prefix "peri-" mean?
Between
Above
Within
Around
The prefix peri- originates from Greek and means around or surrounding. It is seen in terms like pericardium (membrane around the heart) and periodontal (around a tooth). Recognizing peri- aids in understanding anatomical locations. See
What does the combining form "myel/o" refer to?
Bone marrow
Skin
Vein
Muscle
The combining form myel/o is derived from Greek and refers to bone marrow or the spinal cord in different contexts. It is used in terms like myeloma (tumor of bone marrow) and myelitis (inflammation of spinal cord). Recognizing the context of myel- is key in medical terminology. See
What does the term "hypoglycemia" mean?
Low blood sugar
High blood sugar
High blood pressure
Low blood pressure
The prefix hypo- means low and glycemia refers to blood sugar levels. Combined, hypoglycemia indicates abnormally low blood glucose. Understanding how prefixes and roots combine clarifies medical conditions. See
What does "tachypnea" describe?
Normal breathing
Slow breathing
Difficulty breathing
Rapid breathing
Tachy- means fast and -pnea refers to breathing, so tachypnea indicates rapid breathing. It is a common sign in respiratory assessment. Recognizing combined prefixes and suffixes is critical. See
The suffix "-stomy" means which of the following?
Creation of an opening
Suture
Surgical removal
Infection
The suffix -stomy comes from Greek and denotes the creation of a surgical opening. It appears in terms like colostomy (opening into colon) and tracheostomy (opening into trachea). Understanding surgical suffixes guides comprehension of operative procedures. See
What does the combining form "arthr/o" refer to?
Skin
Joint
Bone
Muscle
The combining form arthr/o is derived from Greek and means joint. It is used in terms like arthritis (inflammation of joints) and arthroscopy (visual examination of a joint). Recognizing arthr/o is essential for musculoskeletal terminology. See
What does the prefix "endo-" mean?
Outside
Around
Within
Between
The prefix endo- originates from Greek and means within or inside. It appears in terms like endoscope (instrument for viewing inside) and endocardium (inner lining of heart). Recognizing endo- aids in understanding internal structures. See
The term "pericardium" refers to the membrane surrounding which organ?
Brain
Liver
Lungs
Heart
Peri- means around and cardium refers to the heart, so pericardium is the membrane surrounding the heart. It protects and supports the heart within the thoracic cavity. Understanding prefixes and roots clarifies anatomical terms. See
What does the suffix "-megaly" mean?
Enlargement
Removal
Narrowing
Inflammation
The suffix -megaly comes from Greek and denotes enlargement of a body part or organ. It appears in terms like hepatomegaly (enlarged liver) and splenomegaly (enlarged spleen). Recognizing this suffix helps identify pathological enlargements. See
The word "hepatomegaly" means which of the following?
Inflamed liver
Stiff liver
Enlarged liver
Removal of liver
Hepat/o refers to liver and -megaly means enlargement, so hepatomegaly denotes an enlarged liver. It is a common finding in various diseases like hepatitis and fatty liver disease. Breaking the term into roots and suffixes aids understanding. See
What does the combining form "pneum/o" refer to?
Bone
Joint
Lung or air
Blood
The combining form pneum/o is derived from Greek and refers to lung or air. It appears in terms like pneumonia (lung infection) and pneumothorax (air in chest cavity). Recognizing pneum/o is essential for respiratory terminology. See
In the term "electroencephalogram", what does "encephal/o" refer to?
Heart
Brain
Spinal cord
Liver
The combining form encephal/o is derived from Greek and means brain. It is used in electroencephalogram (EEG), which records electrical activity of the brain. Understanding such complex terms requires knowledge of multiple roots and prefixes. See
The procedure "laparoscopy" involves visual examination of which area?
Pelvic cavity only
Cranial cavity
Abdominal cavity
Chest cavity
The prefix laparo- refers to the abdominal wall and -scopy means visual examination. Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure to view the abdominal cavity. Recognizing procedure-related terms is important for understanding surgical techniques. See
The term "cholangiography" refers to imaging of what?
Blood vessels
Pancreas
Bile ducts
Lymph nodes
The combining form cholangi/o means bile ducts and -graphy denotes imaging or recording. Cholangiography is a radiographic examination of the bile ducts. Understanding specific combining forms is vital for diagnostic terminology. See
"Nephrolithiasis" refers to stones in which organ?
Bladder
Kidney
Gallbladder
Liver
The combining form nephr/o means kidney and -lithiasis refers to the presence of stones. Nephrolithiasis describes kidney stones. Recognizing these components helps diagnose conditions. See
The suffix "-plasia" refers to what process?
Measurement
Formation or development
Breakdown
Inflammation
The suffix -plasia comes from Greek and indicates formation, growth, or development of cells. It is used in terms like hyperplasia (excessive cell growth) and dysplasia (abnormal development). Understanding -plasia is key for pathology terminology. See
What does the term "osteopenia" mean?
Bone fracture
Low bone density
Bone inflammation
Bone cancer
The prefix osteo- means bone and -penia denotes a deficiency. Osteopenia refers to lower than normal bone mineral density. Recognizing these elements is crucial for understanding bone health terminology. See
"Sialorrhea" refers to excessive production of what?
Saliva
Sweat
Urine
Tears
The combining form sialo- means saliva and -rrhea denotes flow or discharge. Sialorrhea thus describes excessive salivation. Understanding combining forms with suffixes is important for clinical terminology. See
What does "tachyarrhythmia" mean?
Fast irregular heartbeat
No heartbeat
Slow heartbeat
Normal heartbeat
The prefix tachy- means fast and arrhythmia refers to an irregular heart rhythm. Combined, tachyarrhythmia denotes a rapid and irregular heartbeat. Understanding these combined terms is vital for cardiology. See
What does the prefix "retro-" mean?
Before or front
Within
Around
Behind or backward
The prefix retro- comes from Latin and means behind or backward. It appears in terms like retroperitoneal (behind the peritoneum) and retrograde (moving backward). Recognizing retro- aids in understanding positional terminology. See
What is the meaning of "dysphagia"?
Difficulty breathing
Difficulty walking
Difficulty speaking
Difficulty swallowing
The prefix dys- means abnormal or difficult and -phagia means eating or swallowing. Dysphagia refers specifically to difficulty swallowing. Understanding dys- and -phagia helps in clinical assessments of swallowing disorders. See
The combining form "chondr/o" refers to what?
Muscle
Cartilage
Skin
Bone
The combining form chondr/o is derived from Greek and means cartilage. It appears in terms like chondritis (inflammation of cartilage) and chondroma (cartilage tumor). Recognizing chondr/o is important for musculoskeletal terminology. See
The term "osteomalacia" refers to softening of which tissue?
Cartilage
Muscle
Skin
Bone
Osteo- means bone and -malacia denotes softening. Osteomalacia refers to softening of bones due to defective bone mineralization. Understanding these components assists in recognizing metabolic bone disorders. See
What does "polyphagia" mean?
Excessive sweating
Excessive eating
Excessive thirst
Frequent urination
The prefix poly- means many or excessive and -phagia refers to eating. Polyphagia thus indicates excessive eating or hunger. Recognizing these elements helps in the assessment of metabolic disorders like diabetes. See
"Arthroscopy" refers to visual examination of what?
Bone marrow
Muscle
Joint
Tendon
Arthr/o refers to joint and -scopy means visual examination. Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure to inspect and treat joint problems. Understanding procedural terms is crucial in surgical contexts. See
"Hematopoiesis" describes formation of what?
Skin cells
Blood cells
Muscle cells
Nerve cells
The combining form hemato- means blood and -poiesis denotes formation. Hematopoiesis is the process of forming blood cells in the bone marrow. Understanding this term is essential in hematology. See
The term "leukoencephalopathy" refers to disease of which structure?
Peripheral nerves
White matter of the brain
Gray matter of the brain
Spinal cord
Leuko- means white, encephal/o refers to the brain, and -pathy denotes disease. Leukoencephalopathy indicates a disease affecting the white matter of the brain. This term is common in neurology when describing demyelinating disorders. See
Cholesteatoma is an abnormal growth in which location?
Nasal cavity
Middle ear
Sinus membrane
Outer ear canal
Cholesteatoma combines chole- (lipid) and -oma (tumor) to denote an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear. It can lead to hearing loss and infection if untreated. Recognizing this term is important in otolaryngology. See
"Amaurosis fugax" describes which clinical finding?
Loss of peripheral vision
Temporary blindness in one eye
Persistent blurred vision
Double vision
Amaurosis means loss of vision and fugax signifies fleeting or temporary. Amaurosis fugax describes transient monocular blindness, often due to temporary ischemia. Recognizing Latin-derived terms aids in precise diagnosis. See
What does "hemoptysis" refer to?
Coughing up blood
Bleeding gums
Vomiting blood
Blood in urine
The prefix hemo- means blood and -ptysis means spitting or expectoration. Hemoptysis refers specifically to coughing up blood from the respiratory tract. This sign requires urgent evaluation in clinical practice. See
What does "pancytopenia" indicate?
Low platelet count only
Reduction of all blood cells
High white blood cell count
Low red blood cell count only
The prefix pan- means all, cyto refers to cells, and -penia denotes deficiency. Pancytopenia describes a reduction in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Recognizing this can alert clinicians to bone marrow suppression or severe systemic illness. See
The suffix "-rrhaphy" means what in surgical terms?
Surgical suturing
Removal
Incision
Examination
The suffix -rrhaphy is derived from Greek and denotes surgical suturing of a wound or defect. It appears in terms like herniorrhaphy (hernia repair) and tenorrhaphy (tendon repair). Understanding such suffixes is key for interpreting surgical procedures. See
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Medical Term Components -

    Identify and define common medical term prefixes, roots, and suffixes to build a solid foundation in medical terminology.

  2. Analyze and Interpret Terms -

    Dissect complex medical words into their constituent parts to accurately interpret meanings and clinical contexts.

  3. Apply Terminology in Practice -

    Match medical prefixes, roots, and suffixes to correct definitions and real-world medical scenarios during the quiz.

  4. Evaluate Quiz Performance -

    Use instant feedback from the medical terminology quiz to assess your strengths and pinpoint areas for improvement before your midterm exam.

  5. Enhance Exam Preparedness -

    Leverage the practice test as a targeted study tool to boost your confidence and test-taking skills for the medical terminology midterm exam.

  6. Correct Misconceptions -

    Review detailed explanations for incorrect answers to address misunderstandings and reinforce accurate medical term usage.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Memorize Key Prefixes -

    Mastering common medical term prefixes like hypo- (under), hyper- (over), brady- (slow), and tachy- (fast) is essential for acing your medical terminology midterm exam. A handy mnemonic - "Hyperactive Harry rides the high horse" for hyper- - can anchor meaning quickly. Referencing university glossaries (e.g., Johns Hopkins) ensures accuracy when you practice for your medical terminology quiz.

  2. Deconstruct Roots and Suffixes -

    Most medical terms follow a root + suffix pattern, like hepat/o + -logy = hepatology, which is the study of the liver. Recognizing common suffixes (e.g., -itis for inflammation or -ectomy for removal) accelerates understanding and helps on your medical terminology midterm test. Official resources like the AMA Manual of Style validate these standard parts.

  3. Apply Combining Vowel Rules -

    Combining vowels (usually "o") bridge roots and suffixes, but drop the "o" if the suffix begins with a vowel, as in hepat/o + -itis = hepatitis, not *hepatoitis. Practicing this rule with flashcards in your medical terminology practice test drills makes the process second nature. Many nursing and medical school websites (e.g., University of Michigan) offer interactive exercises on this rule.

  4. Use Systematic Word-Building -

    Dividing complex terms into prefix, root, and suffix components - like gastroenterology = gastr/o (stomach) + enter/o (intestine) + -logy (study of) - is a "divide and conquer" strategy for your medical terminology quiz. This stepwise method, endorsed by reputable institutions (e.g., Khan Academy Medicine), boosts confidence when tackling multi-part words on your exam. Keep practicing by breaking down five new terms daily.

  5. Reinforce Learning with Practice Tests -

    Regularly challenging yourself with timed medical terminology practice tests enhances recall and exam readiness for your medical terminology midterm exam. Platforms like Quizlet or university-hosted quizzes provide instant feedback and track progress to target weak areas. Incorporate mnemonics like "SPARC" - Suffix, Prefix, and Root Check - to ensure you verify each term's structure.

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