Medical prefixes quiz time! Test your knowledge of common medical prefixes.
Medical prefixes are those words or letters added to the beginning of a root word to add information. Understanding the meaning of the various medical prefixes can help you understand what a word means. You’ll learn all about medical prefixes, suffixes, and more in medical terminology or nursing terminology courses.
Before taking the quiz below, you may want to review our medical prefixes video or medical prefixes notes.
Medical Prefixes Quiz
Medical Prefixes Quiz
1. What is the meaning of the prefix “hyper?”
a. excessive or high
b. low or below
c. equal or same
d. water
The answer is a, excessive or high. In hypernatremia, there is a high level of sodium in the blood.
2. What is the meaning of the prefix “iso?”
a. low or below
b. excessive or high
c. equal or same
d. water
The answer is c, equal. Isotonic solutions are fluids that have roughly an equal tonicity to the blood plasma.
3. The prefix “neuro” means:
a. kidney
b. nerve
c. ear
d. membrane
The answer is b, nerve. A neurologist is a person specializing in the brain and nervous system.
4. What is the meaning of the prefix macro?
a. small
b. after
c. beyond
d. large
The answer is d, large. In macrocytic anemia, red blood cells become too large, leading to anemia.
5. What does the prefix “a” mean?
a. before
b. away
c. towards
d. without
The answer is d, without. Aphasia means without speech or the ability to communicate.
6. The prefix “cephal” refers to which of the following?
a. neck
b. head
c. half
d. eye
The answer is b, head. The cephalic region is the region of the head.
7. What does “brady” mean as a prefix?
a. fast
b. liver
c. slow
d. between
The answer is c, slow. In bradycardia, the heart is beating at a slow rate (usually less than 60 bpm).
8. The prefix “pulmo” refers to which of the following?
a. lungs
b. liver
c. spleen
d. stomach
The answer is a, lungs. A pulmonologist is a person who specializes in the lungs.
9. What does the prefix “tachy” mean?
a. slow
b. across
c. beside
d. fast
The answer is d, fast. Tachycardia is a fast heart rate (above 100 beats per minute in an adult).
10. What does the prefix “rhino” mean?
a. head
b. spleen
c. nose
d. eye
The answer is c, nose. Rhinitis is inflammation of the nose or nasal passages.
11. The prefix “phleb” refers to which of the following?
a. vein
b. fast
c. phlem
d. fake
The answer is a, vein. A phlebotomist is a person who removes blood from your veins.
12. The prefix “derm” means which of the following?
a. skin
b. muscle
c. bone
d. above
The answer is a, skin. A dermatologist specializes in the skin. The dermis is the middle layer of the skin.
13. What does the prefix “cardio” mean?
a. muscle
b. tongue
c. cardinal directions
d. heart
The answer is d, heart. Cardiovascular exercise helps condition your heart.
14. What is the meaning of the prefix “cost?”
a. skin
b. appendix
c. lungs
d. ribs
The answer is d, ribs. The costovertebral region is the region where the ribs join the vertebrae.
15. What does the prefix “angi” mean?
a. vessel
b. angle
c. chest
d. tissue
The answer is a, vessel. An angioma is a tumor made primarily of blood vessels.
16. What is the meaning of the prefix “andro?”
a. male
b. female
c. high
d. low
The answer is a, male or male characteristics.
17. What is the meaning of the prefix “dys?”
a. little or less
b. difficult
c. before
d. against
The answer is b, difficult. Dysphagia refers to difficulty eating or swallowing.
18. What is the meaning of the prefix “erythro?”
a. blue
b. green
c. red
d. vessel
The answer is c, red. Erythrocytes are red blood cells.
19. The prefix “arthr” refers to which term below?
a. marrow
b. joint
c. vessel
d. intestine
The answer is b, joint. Arthritis is inflammation of the joints.
20. Which term below relates to the prefix “gastr?”
a. stomach
b. bone
c. flatulence
d. excessive
The answer is a, stomach. Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach.
21. The prefix “glosso” relates to which term below?
a. belly
b. gastrointestinal tract
c. stomach
d. tongue
The answer is d, tongue. The glossopharyngeal nerve is cranial nerve 9. This deals with movement of the tongue.
22. What is the meaning of the prefix “entero?”
a. tongue
b. intestine
c. ear
d. within
The answer is b, intestine. Enteritis is inflammation of the intestine.
23. What does the prefix “gyneco” mean?
a. female reproductive system
b. male reproductive system
c. membrane
d. muscle
The answer is a, female reproductive system. A gynecologist is a person who specializes in female reproductive health.
24. What does the prefix “intra” mean?
a. outside of
b. above
c. inside or within
d. below
The answer is c, inside or within. When a nurse delivers medication via the intravascular route, it goes within the vascular system.
25. What does the prefix “hemo” or “hema” mean?
a. cell
b. blood
c. kidney
d. liver
The answer is b, blood. A hematologist is a person who specializes in blood disorders.
26. The prefix “hepat” means which of the following?
a. liver
b. blood
c. heavy
d. kidney
The answer is a, liver. Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.
27. What does the prefix “oligo” mean?
a. high
b. too much or more
c. little or less
d. oily
The answer is c, little or less. Oliguria means there is little or less urine output.
28. What does the prefix “myo” mean?
a. beside
b. heart
c. far
d. muscle
The answer is d, muscle. The myocardium is the muscle tissue found in the heart.
29. What does the prefix “osteo” mean?
a. bone
b. muscle
c. before
d. after
The answer is a, bone. Osteoporosis is the thinning of the bones.
30. What does the prefix “epi” mean?
a. below or under
b. on top of or above
c. around
d. within
The answer is b, on top of or above. The epidermis is the layer of skin on top of (or above) the dermis.
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