Medical Terminology Quiz: Combining Forms

Combining Forms for Medical Terms

• Cyt/o refers to a cell
• Derm/o, Dermat/o, and Cutane/o all refer to the skin
• Enter/o refers to the small intestine
• Esophag/o refers to the esophagus
• Gastr/o refers to the stomach
• Hepat/o refers to the liver
• Carcin/o refers to cancer
• Crin/o means “to secrete”
• Necr/o refers to death
• Onc/o refers to a tumor or mass
• Orth/o refers to straight, normal, or correct
• Path/o refers to disease
• Phob/o refers to an exaggerated fear, sensitivity, anxiety, or phobia
• Sten/o refers to "narrow"
• Scler/o refers to "hard"

Examples of Combining Forms

• Cytotoxic: This term combines cyt/o (cell) with toxic (poisonous). It refers to something that is poisonous to cells. It's used often in cancer therapy.
• Dermatologist: This term combines dermat/o (skin) with logist (specialist). It refers to a doctor who specializes in skin diseases.
• Enterocele: This term combines enter/o (small intestine) with cele (hernia). It refers to a hernia of the small intestine.
• Esophagoscopy: This term combines esophag/o (esophagus) with scopy (process of viewing). It refers to a procedure where a doctor uses a scope to look inside the esophagus.
• Gastropt osis: This term combines gastr/o (stomach) with ptosis (dropping or falling). It refers to a condition where the stomach has dropped down.
• Hepatectomy: This term combines hepat/o (liver) with ectomy (removal). It refers to a surgical procedure to remove part or all of the liver.
• Carcinoma: This term combines carcin/o (cancer) with oma (tumor). It refers to a type of cancer that originates in epithelial tissue.
• Necrosis: This term combines necr/o (death) with osis (process). It refers to the death of cells or tissues.
• Oncology: This term combines onc/o (tumor or mass) with logy (study of). It refers to the study of tumors and cancer.
• Orthopedist: This term combines orth/o (straight, normal, or correct) with ped (foot, child) and ist (specialist). It refers to a doctor who specializes in the musculoskeletal system.
• Stenosis: This term combines sten/o (narrow) with osis (process or condition). It refers to a narrowing of a body passage.
• Scleroderma: This term combines scler/o (hard) with derma (skin). It's a disease that causes hardening of the skin.
• Hydrophobia: This term combines hydrophobe (fear of water) with ia (state or condition). It refers to rabies, a dangerous disease that causes fear of water.

Test your knowledge of medical terminology focusing on combining forms. This quiz covers various prefixes related to body parts, diseases, and conditions, essential for understanding medical language. Challenge yourself and learn more about essential medical terms.