Medical Terminology Quiz: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes
Quick, free medical prefixes and suffixes quiz with instant results.
This medical terminology quiz helps you practice prefixes, roots, and suffixes so you can decode terms with confidence. You will review common forms and meanings, then see instant feedback. For more practice, explore the medical prefixes quiz and the medical word parts quiz, or check your progress with a medical terminology test.
Study Outcomes
- Identify Combining Forms -
Understand how to recognize and define combining forms like arthr/o for joints and hepat/o for the liver in medical terminology.
- Explain Prefix Usage -
Explain the meaning and application of prefixes such as homeo- in various medical contexts to build accurate medical vocabulary.
- Differentiate Regional Terminology -
Differentiate terms like subhepatic related to anatomical locations to improve comprehension of region-specific medical language.
- Apply Suffix Analysis -
Apply knowledge of suffixes used in procedures such as arthroscopy to interpret and form medical terminology correctly.
- Enhance Terminology Mastery -
Demonstrate improved mastery of key medical roots, prefixes, and suffixes through quiz-based recall and application.
Cheat Sheet
- Identifying Arthr/O as a Combining Form -
Arthr o is an example of a combining form that denotes joints, appearing in terms like arthrocentesis and arthroplasty. The "o" links the root "arthr" to suffixes or other combining forms, ensuring clarity in medical communication (American Medical Association, 2021). Use the mnemonic "arthr = joint, o = connector" to recall its structure easily.
- Mastering the Prefix Homeo- -
The prefix homeo- means "same" or "similar," a cornerstone of prefix homeo medical terminology in words such as homeostasis and homeopathy (National Institutes of Health). A simple memory trick is "homeo = homo = same"; envision a stable state to lock in the meaning. Recognizing this prefix helps decode terms like homeothermic (warm-blooded) and homeograft in transplant science.
- Combining Form of Liver: Hepat/O -
Hepat/o identifies the liver in words such as hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) and hepatoma (liver tumor), based on terminology standards from medical school curricula. Pairing hepat with suffixes like -itis or -megaly describes conditions precisely, e.g., hepatomegaly (enlarged liver). Linking "hepato = liver" to clinical examples enhances recall during exams.
- Deconstructing Subhepatic Medical Terminology -
"Sub-" means "under" so subhepatic refers to an anatomical space beneath the liver, crucial in imaging and surgery notes (Gray's Anatomy, 2020). Breaking down sub + hepat/o + -ic yields "under-liver-pertaining to," a reliable parsing method. Visualizing anatomical layers cements this term when interpreting scans or procedural docs.
- Breaking Down Arthroscopy Prefix and Suffix -
Arthroscopy combines the prefix/combining form arthr/o ("joint") with the suffix - scopy ("to view"), defining a minimally invasive joint inspection (British Medical Journal). Think "Scope = see" to store that - scopy means "visual exam." Contrasting arthroscopy with arthroplasty solidifies understanding of procedure-specific suffixes.