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Medically Speaking Trivia Quiz

Many medical terms are easier to understand if you can figure out the root of their pre- or suffixes. Test your skill with this quiz!

A multiple-choice quiz by Catamount. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
Catamount

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
212,280

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
8382

Awards
Top 5% quiz!

Last 3 plays: kkt (9/10), batkp (6/10), curdman (5/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which of these prefixes is *not* related to the kidneys? Hint

Ren-

Hepato-

Nephro-

Pyelo-

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Question 2 of 10

2. The prefix "gravid-" denotes a serious (grave) illness.

True

False

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Question 3 of 10

3. What does the suffix "-phobia" mean in English?

Answer: (One Word, Four Letters)

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Question 4 of 10

4. "-Phrenic-", which can be used both as a prefix and a suffix, has two very different meanings. Which is the correct pair? Hint

Diaphragm/Mentally ill

Pancreas/Stunted growth

Knee joint/Stomach

Tongue/Colon

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of the following prefixes refers to the brain? Hint

Entero-

Brachio-

Cerebro-

Oophoro-

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Question 6 of 10

6. Do "hyper-" and "hypo-" mean the same?

Yes

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Question 7 of 10

7. What does the prefix "bar-" refer to? Hint

Legal

Alcohol abuse

Weight

Without

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Question 8 of 10

8. What does the prefix or suffix "iatro-/-iatric" refer to?
Hint

Gender

Age

Physician

Hospital

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which of the following prefixes refers to colour? Hint

All of them

Leuko-

Erythro-

Xantho-

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Question 10 of 10

10. What do the suffixes "-algia" and "-dynia" mean? Hint

Pain

Fear

Blood

Tumor

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of these prefixes is *not* related to the kidneys?

Answer: Hepato-

Ren- as in "renal" (kidney-related), nephro- as in "nephrologist" (kidney specialist), "pyelo-" as in "pyelonephritis" (inflammation of the bowl of the kidney). "Hepato-" refers to the liver as in "hepatomegaly" (enlarged liver).

2. The prefix "gravid-" denotes a serious (grave) illness.

Answer: False

Serious yes, illness no. "Gravid" means "pregnant".

3. What does the suffix "-phobia" mean in English?

Answer: Fear

At work I sometimes encounter people with aichmophobia - fear of needles or pointed objects.

4. "-Phrenic-", which can be used both as a prefix and a suffix, has two very different meanings. Which is the correct pair?

Answer: Diaphragm/Mentally ill

The phrenic nerve supplies the diaphragm, the largest muscle for breathing. Schizophrenic refers to a mental illness that strikes mostly young people in their late teens and early twenties and is characterized by delusions, hallucinations and other distressing symptoms.

The Greek root "phrenos" means "diaphragm, heart, mind". Some of the ancient Greeks (Aristotle for example) believed that thoughts, emotions, ideas and so on originated in the heart or the diaphragm, while the brain was there to cool the body. However Plato, Hippocrates and others thought intelligence came from the brain.

5. Which of the following prefixes refers to the brain?

Answer: Cerebro-

"Brachio-" refers to the arm, "oophoro-" the ovaries, "entero-" the intestine. "Cerebro-" as in "cerebrovascular disease"; the cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. "Encephal-" also means "brain".

6. Do "hyper-" and "hypo-" mean the same?

Answer: No

"Hyper-" means excessive; "hypo-" means deficient. "Hypertension" is high blood pressure; low blood pressure is called "hypotension". Other examples are "hyperglycemia" - high blood sugar, and "hypoglycemia" - low blood sugar. From the similarity of those words you can see how easy it is to misunderstand what your doctor says - remind her to explain things in English!

7. What does the prefix "bar-" refer to?

Answer: Weight

"Bar-" comes from Greek "baros" - "weight". Bariatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with prevention and treatment of obesity.

8. What does the prefix or suffix "iatro-/-iatric" refer to?

Answer: Physician

A "iatrogenic" condition is one caused by the doctor, for example a rash from the antibiotic your doctor prescribed. It doesn't mean your doctor did something wrong; unwanted side effects or reactions can happen to anyone.

"Geriatrics" is the branch of medicine that deals with illness in old age. ("Gerontology" deals with normal aging). The common root is "iatros", the Greek word for "physician".

9. Which of the following prefixes refers to colour?

Answer: All of them

"Erythro-" means "red", as in "erythrocytes" - red blood cells; "leuko-" means "white" as in "leukocytes" - white blood cells; "xantho-" means "yellow", but there are no yellow blood cells. "Xanthomas" are small accumulations of fat under the skin surface; they may be a symptom of high cholesterol.

10. What do the suffixes "-algia" and "-dynia" mean?

Answer: Pain

"Cephalalgia" and "cephalodynia" are both fancy terms for "headache" - I hope this quiz didn't give you one!

Source: Author Catamount

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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