Medical Terminology Quiz with Answers
Medical terminology quiz for independent study: review 71 original questions on how medical words are built and what they mean, each answered from and quoted from the Open RN Medical Terminology textbook (2nd edition) on the National Library of Medicine's NCBI Bookshelf.
Medical terminology quiz with answers: prefixes, suffixes, word roots, directional terms, body planes and common terms for each body system. Every answer is cited to the open Medical Terminology textbook hosted on the NIH National Library of Medicine Bookshelf.
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01When you define a medical term from its parts, which part should you translate first?
Start with the suffix, then work back through the root and prefix (hepat/itis = inflammation of the liver).
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“When building a definition of a medical term from its components, start with the meaning of the suffix.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗02What letter is most often used as a combining vowel in medical terms?
The letter o; it is added to help pronunciation.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A combining vowel is a word part, most often the letter “o,” that helps pronunciation.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗03Should a combining vowel be placed between a prefix and a word root?
No. A combining vowel joins two roots or a root and a suffix, but it is not used to join a prefix to a root.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“However, a combining vowel should not be used to connect a prefix and a word root.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗04What is a combining form in medical terminology?
A word root joined to its combining vowel, such as cardi/o.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“When a word root (WR) is combined with a combining vowel, the word part is referred to as a combining form.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗05What does the suffix -itis indicate?
Inflammation.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Conditions: For example, -itis means “inflammation””
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗06What does the suffix -oma indicate?
A tumor.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Diseases: For example, -oma means “tumor” ”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗07What does the suffix -scopy mean?
Visual examination (the process of looking inside with a scope).
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Procedures: For example, -scopy means “visual examination””
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗08What does the prefix intra- mean?
Within.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Direction, such as intra-, meaning “within””
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗09What do the prefixes a- and an- mean at the start of a medical term?
Without, absence of, or not.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Negation, such as a- and an-, meaning “without””
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗10Name four suffixes that all mean "pertaining to."
Any four of -ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ic, -ior and -ous.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Note there are several suffixes that mean “pertaining to,” such as -ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ic, -ior, and -ous.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗11What does oliguria mean, and what can it point to?
Producing abnormally small amounts of urine; it can indicate kidney dysfunction or dehydration.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The production of abnormally small amounts of urine, often indicative of kidney dysfunction or dehydration.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗12What does the term cardiomegaly describe?
Enlargement of the heart (-megaly = enlargement).
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Examples of Common Word Roots in Medical Terms Cardiomegaly: Enlargement of the heart”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗13What does hemiplegia mean?
Paralysis of one side of the body.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Hemiplegia: Paralysis of one side of the body”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗14A patient lying face down on the abdomen is in which position?
Prone.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The position of lying on one’s abdomen. (Chapter 2.6)”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗15What is the supine position?
Lying on the back.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The position of lying down on one’s back. (Chapter 2.6)”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗16In directional terms, what does proximal mean?
Closer to the trunk or to the point where a limb attaches; the proximal femur meets the pelvis.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A position in a limb that is nearer to the point of attachment or the trunk of the body.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗17In directional terms, what does distal mean?
Farther from the trunk or from the limb's point of attachment; the hand is distal on the forearm.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A position in a limb that is farther from the point of attachment or the trunk of the body.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗18Which body plane divides the body into front and back portions?
The frontal (coronal) plane.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A vertical plane running from side to side that divides the body or any of its parts into anterior and posterior portions.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗19Which body plane divides the body into upper and lower parts and produces cross-section images?
The transverse (axial) plane.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A horizontal plane that divides the body or any of its parts into upper and lower parts. Transverse planes produce images often referred to as “cross sections.””
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗20What does cyanosis look like, and what causes it?
A bluish color of the skin from poor circulation or poorly oxygenated blood.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A bluish discoloration of the skin resulting from poor circulation or inadequate oxygenation of the blood.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗21What causes jaundice?
A buildup of bilirubin in the blood, which turns the skin and eyes yellow.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A yellowing of the skin and eyes due to a buildup of bilirubin in the blood.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗22What is erythema?
Redness of the skin caused by dilated capillaries.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Erythema (ĕr-ĭ-THĒ-mă) Redness of the skin caused by capillary dilation.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗23What is the common name for urticaria?
Hives: raised, itchy rashes on the skin.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Raised, itchy rashes on the skin, also known as hives.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗24What does diaphoresis mean?
Excessive sweating, often seen with shock and other emergencies.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Excessive sweating, commonly associated with shock and other medical emergency conditions.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗25What is epistaxis, and what is another term for it?
A nosebleed; it is also called rhinorrhagia.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Bleeding from the nose; also called rhinorrhagia. (Chapter 4.4)”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗26What is atelectasis?
Collapse of part or all of a lung, often from a blocked airway or outside pressure on the lung.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The collapse of part or all of a lung, often caused by a blockage of the air passages or by pressure on the outside of the lung.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗27What does rhinorrhea mean in everyday language?
A runny nose (excess mucus from the nasal cavities).
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Excess mucous production by the nasal cavities, commonly referred to as a “runny nose.””
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗28What is hypoxia?
Inadequate oxygen supply at the tissue level in the body or one region of it.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗29What does hematuria mean?
Blood in the urine.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The presence of blood in the urine, which can be a sign of various urinary tract or kidney conditions.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗30What does nocturia mean?
Waking up frequently during the night to urinate.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The need to wake up and urinate frequently during the night.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗31How is anuria defined in terms of urine volume?
Essentially no urine output: less than 50 mL in 24 hours, often seen in severe kidney failure.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The absence of urine output, often seen in severe kidney failure, defined as less than 50 mL of urine over a 24-hour period.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗32What does lithotripsy do?
It breaks up stones in the kidney, bladder or ureters, for example with shock waves.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A medical procedure that uses shock waves or other means to break up stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureters.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗33What is pyelonephritis?
A urinary tract infection in which one or both kidneys are infected and inflamed.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A type of urinary tract infection where one or both kidneys become infected and inflamed.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗34What is hydronephrosis?
Swelling of a kidney from urine backing up, often because of a blockage in the urinary tract.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Swelling of a kidney due to a build-up of urine, often caused by obstruction in the urinary tract.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗35What is cryptorchidism?
A condition in which one or both testes have not descended into the scrotum before birth.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition where one or both testes fail to descend into the scrotum before birth.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗36What is endometriosis?
A painful condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A painful condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗37What is eclampsia?
A severe complication of preeclampsia in which the pregnant patient has seizures or coma.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A severe complication of preeclampsia, involving seizures or coma in the pregnant woman.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗38Above what heart rate is an adult described as having tachycardia?
Over 100 beats per minute.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition where the heart rate is faster than normal, over 100 bpm in adults.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗39What does an angioplasty do?
It inflates a tiny balloon inside an artery to restore blood flow, sometimes leaving a stent to hold it open.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A procedure to restore blood flow through the artery by inserting and inflating a tiny balloon; it may also involve placing a stent to keep the artery open.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗40What is an arrhythmia?
An abnormal heart rhythm caused by changes in the normal sequence of electrical impulses.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“An abnormal heart rhythm resulting from variations in the normal sequence of electrical impulses.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗41What is ischemia?
Reduced or restricted blood flow and oxygen to a part of the body, often from narrowed or blocked arteries.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition where blood flow and oxygen are restricted or reduced in a part of the body, often due to narrowed or blocked arteries.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗42What does thrombocytopenia mean, and what is the risk?
Too few platelets, so clotting is poor and excessive bleeding can occur.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition where there is an insufficient number of platelets, leading to ineffective blood clotting and potential for excessive bleeding.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗43What does leukopenia mean?
Too few white blood cells, which weakens the ability to fight disease.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition where too few leukocytes (white blood cells) are produced, impacting the individual’s ability to fight off disease.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗44What are the three steps of hemostasis?
Vascular spasm, formation of a platelet plug, and coagulation (blood clotting).
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“It involves three steps: vascular spasm, formation of a platelet plug, and blood clotting (coagulation).”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗45What is a hematoma?
Blood pooled outside a blood vessel after an injury.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A collection or pooling of blood outside the blood vessel caused by an injury.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗46What does splenomegaly mean?
Enlargement of the spleen.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Enlargement of the spleen, which can occur due to various reasons such as systemic infection, sickle cell disease, or cancer.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗47What is melena, and what does it suggest?
Dark, sticky stool containing partly digested blood; it points to bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Dark sticky feces containing partly digested blood, indicative of gastrointestinal bleeding.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗48What is cirrhosis?
A chronic liver disease with cell degeneration, inflammation and fibrous thickening, often from alcohol use or hepatitis.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A chronic disease of the liver marked by degeneration of cells, inflammation, and fibrous thickening of tissue. It is often caused by alcoholism or hepatitis.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗49What is a cholecystectomy?
Surgical removal of the gallbladder.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Cholecystectomy (kō-lĕ-sis-TEK-tŏ-mē) Surgical removal of the gallbladder.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗50What is osteoporosis, and what risk does it raise?
Weak, brittle bones from tissue loss (hormonal change or low calcium or vitamin D); it raises fracture risk.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition where bones become weak and brittle, often due to loss of tissue as a result of hormonal changes or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D. It increases the risk of fractures.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗51What is scoliosis?
An abnormal sideways (lateral) curve of the spine, often found in childhood or adolescence.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“An abnormal lateral curvature of the spine, often diagnosed in childhood or adolescence.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗52What is kyphosis?
An excessive outward curve of the spine that hunches the back.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“An excessive outward curvature of the spine, causing a hunching of the back.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗53Where do gout flares often begin?
In the big toe or a lower limb.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Gout flares often begin in the big toe or a lower limb”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗54What is atrophy?
Gradual wasting away or shrinking of muscle or other tissue.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The gradual wasting away, decrease in size, or degeneration of muscle or tissue.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗55What is a cataract?
A progressive clouding of the eye's lens that impairs vision.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A progressive disease of the lens causing cloudiness and lack of transparency, leading to vision impairment.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗56What is glaucoma?
A group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, often from abnormally high pressure in the eye.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, often caused by abnormally high pressure in the eye.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗57What is myopia?
Nearsightedness: distant objects look blurry.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Also known as nearsightedness, a common vision condition where distant objects appear blurry.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗58What is hyperopia?
Farsightedness: distant objects are seen more clearly than near ones.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Also known as farsightedness, a condition where distant objects can be seen more clearly than close ones.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗59What is presbyopia?
An age-related loss of the ability to focus on close objects.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“An age-related condition in which the ability to focus on close objects decreases over time.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗60What is otitis externa commonly called?
Swimmer's ear: inflammation or infection of the outer ear canal.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Inflammation or infection of the outer ear canal, often referred to as “swimmer’s ear.””
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗61What is tinnitus?
Hearing ringing, buzzing or other noise in the ear when there is no outside sound.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition characterized by hearing ringing, buzzing, or other noises in the ear in the absence of external sound.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗62What is aphasia?
Partial or total loss of the ability to communicate in speech or writing.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition characterized by either partial or total loss of the ability to communicate verbally or using written words.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗63What is paresthesia?
An abnormal sensation such as tingling, pricking or numbness, often with no apparent physical cause.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“An abnormal sensation, such as tingling, pricking, or numbness, typically with no apparent physical cause.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗64What is syncope?
Fainting: a temporary loss of consciousness, often from too little blood flow to the brain.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A temporary loss of consciousness or fainting, often related to insufficient blood flow to the brain.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗65Name three typical symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Fatigue, weight gain and cold intolerance.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones, leading to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and cold intolerance.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗66Name three typical symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
Weight loss, increased heart rate and anxiety.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A condition characterized by excessive production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland, leading to symptoms like weight loss, increased heart rate, and anxiety.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗67What is a goiter?
An enlarged thyroid gland; it can occur with hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism or iodine deficiency.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“An enlargement of the thyroid gland, which can be a symptom of both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism or result from iodine deficiency.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗68What does polyuria mean, and with which condition is it often linked?
Producing abnormally large amounts of dilute urine; it is a common symptom of diabetes.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The production of abnormally large volumes of dilute urine, often a symptom of conditions like diabetes.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗69What is nephrolithiasis?
Stones (calculi) in the kidney.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The presence of stones (calculi) in the kidney.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗70What is hepatitis, and what usually causes it?
Inflammation of the liver, usually from a viral infection or liver toxins.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a viral infection or liver toxins.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗71What is bursitis, and where does it usually occur?
Inflammation of a bursa, usually in the knee, elbow or shoulder.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Inflammation of a bursa, usually occurring in the knee, elbow, or shoulder.”
— Open RN Medical Terminology, 2nd ed. (NIH NLM Bookshelf) ↗Know questions we're missing?
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