Medical Language Can Be Colourful! Quiz

Answer: black

Melan/o is a word part that means black and is derived from the Greek "melas" and "melanos", also meaning black. Melanoma is a highly malignant tumour of the melanocytes - the cells that produce the pigment melanin which is the major contributor to human skin colour. Melanoma translates literally as "black tumour".

Other word parts which indicate the colour black include anthrac- (Gr: black as coal), ater- (L: dull black), and niger- (L: glossy black).

Answer: purple

Porphyria is a group of diseases in which pigments called porphyrins build up in the body, affecting the skin and/or nervous system. There are a variety of symptoms but one of the most unusual is purplish-coloured urine. Some historians believe that the British King George III suffered from porphyria and that this was the cause of his mental health issues. The name of the disease is derived from the Greek word "porphyros" meaning purple.

Other word parts which indicate the colour purple include purpur- (L: purple), violo- (L: violet) and iodo- (Gr: violet).

Answer: white

Albinism is a genetic disorder in which there is lack of pigmentation in the hair, skin and eyes, resulting in very pale pink skin, white hair and pinkish-red eyes. The pink colour of the skin and eyes is due to the blood in the underlying blood vessels - this is normally masked by the pigments in the skin (mainly melanin, haemoglobin and carotene). A person who suffers from albinism is described as an albino. The terms albino and albinism come from the Latin "albus" meaning white.

Other word parts which indicate the colour white include candid- (L: bright white) and leuko- (Gr: white).

Answer: yellow

Jaundice is derived from the French "jaune" meaning yellow. Jaundice is a condition characterised by yellowish skin and yellowing of the whites of the eyes which is caused by excess bilirubin, a bile pigment, in the blood.

Another medical term for jaundice is icterus from the Greek word "ikteros" which meant both jaundice and yellow bird. The Ancient Greeks thought jaundice could be cured by having the patient gaze upon the bird and by magic the disease would pass from the patient to the bird. Historically, jaundice was known as "morbus regius" (the regal or royal disease) from the mistaken belief that only a king's touch could cure it.

Other word parts which indicate the colour yellow include auro- (L: golden), chrys- (Gr: golden), cneco- (Gr: pale yellow), croce- (L: saffron yellow), flav- (L: yellow), luteo- (L: yellow as mud), and xantho- (Gr: yellow).

Answer: blue

Cyanosis is derived from the Greek "kyanos" meaning dark blue. Cyanosis is bluish discolouration of the skin and mucous membranes caused by an insufficient level of oxygen in the blood. "Blue babies" are so-called because of cyanosis - the most common sign being a bluish colour of the skin around the mouth, hands, and feet. It is often associated with heart failure, heart defects, imperfect circulation, lung diseases and asphyxia.

Other word parts which indicate the colour blue include azur- (L: blue), caerul- (L: blue), and pelio- (Gr: dull grey-blue).

Answer: red

Rubella literally translates as "little red". The name is a reference to the rash of tiny red spots that is characteristic of the disease. The Latin word "ruber" means red and "ella" is a suffix which means little. Rubella is also called German measles because, in 1814, German doctors were the first to realise it was a separate disease from measles.

Other word parts which indicate the colour red include coccin- (L: scarlet), erythro- (Gr: red), rhodo- (Gr: red) and rubeo- (L: red).

Answer: orange

Carotene is an orange-coloured pigment found in carrots and many other fruits and vegetables. The name was coined in 1831 by a German chemist, Heinrich Wackenroder, who was the first to isolate carotene from carrots. The name carotene is derived from the Latin "carota" meaning carrot. Carotenes in our diet contribute to our skin colour. Excessive consumption can turn the skin orange.

Answer: tawny, yellow-brown

The medical term cirrhosis is derived from the Greek "kirrhos" meaning tawny or yellow-brown. A normal healthy liver is smooth, shiny and deep burgundy-red in colour. A cirrhotic liver, in contrast, is dull, knobbly (due to the presence of nodules) and a yellowish-brown or tawny colour. The disease is commonly caused by excessive alcohol intake but there are many other causes of cirrhosis including viral hepatitis, obstruction of the common bile duct, auto-immune disease and chronic heart failure. There are many patients with cirrhosis who have never consumed alcohol.

Other word parts which indicate the colour brown include fulv- (L: light brown), fusc- (L: dark brown), phaeo- (Gr: dusky grey-brown), and spadix- (L; chestnut brown).

Answer: green

The term chlorosis is derived from the Greek "khloros" meaning green or greenish-yellow. (You may be more familiar with the related word chlorophyll, a group of pigments which are responsible for the typical green colour of plant leaves. In plants, chorosis is the condition of loss of the green colour of leaves caused by lack of light and/or iron deficiency in the soil).

In humans, chlorosis is a type of anaemia caused by iron deficiency and is characterised by a pale greenish complexion. Nowadays it is more usually known as hypochromic anaemia. Hypochromic means insufficient colour or pigmentation (hypo = deficient or less, chromic = pertaining to colour). Historically, hypochromic anaemia or chlorosis was known as "green sickness" because of the distinct greenish tinge of the skin. It was also known as "morbus virgineus" (the virgin's disease) because it tended to occur in adolescent girls. It was believed to be caused by virginity, celibacy or masturbation. No prizes for guessing the cure.

Other word parts which indicate the colour green include beryl- (Gr: pale or sea-green) and virido- (L: green).

Answer: grey

The medical term poliomyelitis was coined in 1874 by the German physician, Adolph Kussmaul. It is derived from the Greek "polios" (grey), "myelos" (marrow) and "-itis" (inflammation/infection), which translates as inflammation/infection of the grey marrow. Poliomyelitis is a viral disease which affects the nervous tissue, particularly the grey matter, of the brain and spinal cord. It causes paralysis and inability to breathe.

Other word parts which indicate the colour grey include pelio- (Gr: dull grey-blue) and phaeo- (Gr: dusky grey-brown).