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Medicine and Mythology Trivia Quiz

A substantial number of medical terms are derived from the names of ancient Greek and Roman deities and other characters from their mythologies. The following questions demonstrate the links between medicine and mythology.

A multiple-choice quiz by MotherGoose. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
MotherGoose

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
75,713

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
11910

Awards
Editor's Choice

Last 3 plays: Guest 71 (6/10), Guest 80 (7/10), japh (9/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The term insomnia is derived from Roman God Somnos or Somnus. What was he the God of? Hint

the dark

night

sleep

dreams

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Melissa was a nymph in Greek mythology. Her name is related to which medical condition? Hint

diabetes mellitus

melituria (sugar in the urine)

melissophobia (fear of bees)

all three choices are correct

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Another Greek goddess, Melanie, lends her name to melanoma. What does 'melano' mean in the medical term melanoma? Hint

colour

bad

dark or black

sad

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. The symbols which denote male and female in medicine are derived from the symbols for which Roman God and Goddess? Hint

Mercury and Diana

Mars and Diana

Mars and Venus

Apollo and Venus

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Which God or Goddess lends his or her name to the controversial practice of assisting people with incurable illnesses to die with dignity? Hint

Thanatos

Euthenia

Euthanasia

Necros

6. Psyche was a beautiful princess in Greek mythology. Her name is the basis for many medical terms, including psychiatry, psychology and psychotic. In such words, what does 'psych' represent? Hint

the brain

the eyes

the heart

the mind

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Which mythological character lends his name to a sleep inducing drug? Hint

Morpheus

Hypnos

Narcissus

All three choices are correct

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Hygiene is derived from Greek Goddess Hygieia. What was she the Goddess of? Hint

health

bathing

housework

disease

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. The first cervical vertebra of the spinal column has a name which it shares with one of the Titans. This character supported the heavens on his shoulders in the same way this vertebra supports the skull. What is the shared name? Hint

ares

axis

atlas

aegis

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Mars was the Roman God of War. His son, Phobos, lends his name to phobia, an extreme fear. Which of the following phobias contains the name of another character in mythology? Hint

arachnophobia

cynophobia

agoraphobia

acrophobia

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 15 2024 : Guest 71: 6/10
Dec 11 2024 : Guest 80: 7/10
Nov 23 2024 : japh: 9/10
Nov 16 2024 : Guest 107: 5/10
Nov 16 2024 : Guest 24: 8/10
Nov 16 2024 : Guest 94: 4/10
Nov 16 2024 : elon78: 9/10
Nov 16 2024 : Guest 146: 6/10
Nov 16 2024 : Guest 82: 5/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The term insomnia is derived from Roman God Somnos or Somnus. What was he the God of?

Answer: sleep

Somnos or Somnus is the Roman God of sleep and insomnia is the inability to sleep.

2. Melissa was a nymph in Greek mythology. Her name is related to which medical condition?

Answer: all three choices are correct

The name Melissa means 'honey bee'. In Greek mythology, Melissa taught humans to use honey to sweeten their food. Variations of her name appear in many medical words which relate to sweetness or sugar.

3. Another Greek goddess, Melanie, lends her name to melanoma. What does 'melano' mean in the medical term melanoma?

Answer: dark or black

The name Melanie means 'darkness or clad in black'. In Greek mythology, Melania or Melanie was the name given to Demeter, the earth goddess, when mourning during the winter for her daughter, Persephone, the Spring. Melanoma means 'black tumour'.

4. The symbols which denote male and female in medicine are derived from the symbols for which Roman God and Goddess?

Answer: Mars and Venus

According to one myth, Mars and Venus were in love with each other. But Mars was God of War and Venus was Goddess of love and beauty. This difference was felt by some to parallel the essential difference between the sexes. The symbols were first used to denote male and female by Linnaeus in the 18th century. The same symbols are used to denote the planets Mars and Venus.

5. Which God or Goddess lends his or her name to the controversial practice of assisting people with incurable illnesses to die with dignity?

Answer: Thanatos

Thanatos was the Greek God of death who lends his name to the medical term euthanasia. Euthanasia translates as 'condition of easy death'.

6. Psyche was a beautiful princess in Greek mythology. Her name is the basis for many medical terms, including psychiatry, psychology and psychotic. In such words, what does 'psych' represent?

Answer: the mind

Eros (Cupid) married Psyche. Eros, God of love, represents the human heart. Psyche, a human who was later made immortal, represents the human soul, spirit or mind.

7. Which mythological character lends his name to a sleep inducing drug?

Answer: All three choices are correct

Narcotic and hypnotic are terms which relate to drugs which induce sleep. Morphine is a narcotic. Morpheus was the Roman God of dreams. Hypnos was the Greek God of sleep. Narcissus was the son of a river god and a nymph in Greek mythology. Some authorities claim a link between Narcissus and narcotic because according to the myth, the youth was turned into the flower Narcissus.

This plant has sleep inducing properties and the first narcotic drugs were derived from such plants.

8. Hygiene is derived from Greek Goddess Hygieia. What was she the Goddess of?

Answer: health

Hygieia was also the daughter of Asclepius, the God of Medicine.

Answer: atlas

Gerhardus Mercator first used the name 'atlas' for a collection of maps in the 16th century and he used an illustration of Atlas holding up the globe on the title page.

10. Mars was the Roman God of War. His son, Phobos, lends his name to phobia, an extreme fear. Which of the following phobias contains the name of another character in mythology?

Answer: arachnophobia

Arachne was a Greek maiden who was changed into a spider by the Goddess Athena. Arachne had the temerity to challenge Athena to a weaving contest so Athena punished her by changing her into a spider so she would have to spend the rest of her life spinning. Arachnophobia is fear of spiders.

Source: Author MotherGoose

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