Word Roots and Meanings Quiz

Word Roots

• -ia indicates a state or condition, often used in medical terminology to describe diseases or states.
• -lysis refers to the process of breaking down or cutting, important in biological and medical contexts.
• -plasm denotes fluid, typically used in terms related to cellular substances.
• -septic suggests a putrid or infected state, commonly used in infections or conditions related to decay.
• -scope implies the action of viewing, prevalent in instruments like endoscopes used for medical observation.

Medical Prefixes

• cyt-, cyto- relates to cells, forming terms in cell biology, such as cytoplasm.
• dis- indicates separation or removal, used in terms like dislocate.
• endo- means within or inside, often used for structures located inside an organ.
• exo- means outside, used in terms like exoskeleton.
• herato- pertains to horn-like structures, as in keratin.
• hetero- signifies other or different, commonly used in genetic terms.
• histo- relates to tissues, essential in histology.
• hydro- refers to water, prevalent in terms involving fluids.
• lip-, lipo- indicates fat, used in terms related to fat metabolism.
• meta- means after or beyond, often used in descriptors for changes in state.
• onco- relates to masses or tumors, a significant prefix in oncology.

Common Prefixes

• phil-, philla signifies a love or affinity for something, often used in psychology and biology.
• phobe-, phobia indicates fear or aversion, key in discussions of anxiety disorders.
• pro denotes a position before or prior, often used in terms indicating preventative measures.
• sten describes a narrowing process, crucial in medical conditions such as stenosis.
• sub means below or underneath, commonly used in anatomical contexts.
• super signifies above or beyond, used in terms indicating superiority or excess.