Test Bank For Medical Terminology For
Health Professions, Spiral Bound Version
9th Edition Author:Ann Ehrlich, Carol
Schroeder, Laura Ehrlich, Katrina
Schroeder Chapter 1-15 Newest 2026
Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology
1. The word root for "liver" is:
a. Nephr/o
b. Hepat/o
c. Cardi/o
d. Oste/o
Answer: b. Hepat/o
Rationale: Hepat/o is the combining form for the liver. Nephr/o refers to the kidney, Cardi/o to the
heart, and Oste/o to the bone.
2. Which suffix means "inflammation"?
a. -algia
b. -ectomy
c. -itis
d. -oma
Answer: c. -itis
Rationale: The suffix -itis is used to denote inflammation of an organ or tissue. -algia means pain, -
ectomy means surgical removal, and -oma means tumor or mass.
3. In the term "intravenous," the prefix "intra-" means:
a. Around
b. Above
,c. Within
d. Between
Answer: c. Within
Rationale: The prefix intra- means within or inside. Intravenous means pertaining to within a vein. Peri-
means around, supra- means above, and inter- means between.
4. A combining vowel, often "o," is used to:
a. Connect a prefix to a suffix
b. Connect two word roots or a word root to a suffix when the suffix begins with a consonant
c. Make a word plural
d. Indicate a surgical procedure
Answer: b. Connect two word roots or a word root to a suffix when the suffix begins with a
consonant
Rationale: The combining vowel makes the medical term easier to pronounce. It is typically used
between two word roots or a word root and a suffix that starts with a consonant. It is not used to make
words plural.
5. What is the plural form of "diagnosis"?
a. Diagnosises
b. Diagnosae
c. Diagnoses
d. Diagnosi
Answer: c. Diagnoses
Rationale: Words ending in -is form their plurals by changing the -is to -es. Diagnosis follows this rule,
becoming diagnoses.
Chapter 2: The Human Body in Health and Disease
6. The study of how genes are transferred from parents to their children is called:
a. Cytology
b. Histology
c. Genetics
d. Embryology
Answer: c. Genetics
Rationale: Genetics is the study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics. Cytology is the
study of cells, histology is the study of tissues, and embryology is the study of embryos and their
development.
, 7. The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment is known as:
a. Metabolism
b. Homeostasis
c. Anabolism
d. Catabolism
Answer: b. Homeostasis
Rationale: Homeostasis is the state of steady internal conditions maintained by living things.
Metabolism refers to all chemical processes, with anabolism being the building-up phase and catabolism
the breaking-down phase.
8. An "idiopathic" disease is one:
a. That is highly contagious
b. Caused by a medical treatment
c. With an unknown cause
d. That develops suddenly
Answer: c. With an unknown cause
Rationale: Idiopathic is a term used to describe a disease or condition for which the cause is unknown.
Iatrogenic means caused by medical treatment.
9. The plane that divides the body into superior and inferior portions is the:
a. Sagittal plane
b. Frontal plane
c. Coronal plane
d. Transverse plane
Answer: d. Transverse plane
Rationale: The transverse (horizontal) plane runs horizontally from side to side, dividing the body into
upper (superior) and lower (inferior) parts. The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right, and
the frontal/coronal plane divides it into anterior and posterior.
10. Which directional term means "closest to the point of attachment to the trunk"?
a. Proximal
b. Distal
c. Lateral
d. Medial
Answer: a. Proximal
Rationale: Proximal describes a location on a limb that is nearer to the point of attachment to the trunk.
Distal is farther away. Lateral means to the side, and medial means toward the midline.
Health Professions, Spiral Bound Version
9th Edition Author:Ann Ehrlich, Carol
Schroeder, Laura Ehrlich, Katrina
Schroeder Chapter 1-15 Newest 2026
Chapter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology
1. The word root for "liver" is:
a. Nephr/o
b. Hepat/o
c. Cardi/o
d. Oste/o
Answer: b. Hepat/o
Rationale: Hepat/o is the combining form for the liver. Nephr/o refers to the kidney, Cardi/o to the
heart, and Oste/o to the bone.
2. Which suffix means "inflammation"?
a. -algia
b. -ectomy
c. -itis
d. -oma
Answer: c. -itis
Rationale: The suffix -itis is used to denote inflammation of an organ or tissue. -algia means pain, -
ectomy means surgical removal, and -oma means tumor or mass.
3. In the term "intravenous," the prefix "intra-" means:
a. Around
b. Above
,c. Within
d. Between
Answer: c. Within
Rationale: The prefix intra- means within or inside. Intravenous means pertaining to within a vein. Peri-
means around, supra- means above, and inter- means between.
4. A combining vowel, often "o," is used to:
a. Connect a prefix to a suffix
b. Connect two word roots or a word root to a suffix when the suffix begins with a consonant
c. Make a word plural
d. Indicate a surgical procedure
Answer: b. Connect two word roots or a word root to a suffix when the suffix begins with a
consonant
Rationale: The combining vowel makes the medical term easier to pronounce. It is typically used
between two word roots or a word root and a suffix that starts with a consonant. It is not used to make
words plural.
5. What is the plural form of "diagnosis"?
a. Diagnosises
b. Diagnosae
c. Diagnoses
d. Diagnosi
Answer: c. Diagnoses
Rationale: Words ending in -is form their plurals by changing the -is to -es. Diagnosis follows this rule,
becoming diagnoses.
Chapter 2: The Human Body in Health and Disease
6. The study of how genes are transferred from parents to their children is called:
a. Cytology
b. Histology
c. Genetics
d. Embryology
Answer: c. Genetics
Rationale: Genetics is the study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics. Cytology is the
study of cells, histology is the study of tissues, and embryology is the study of embryos and their
development.
, 7. The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment is known as:
a. Metabolism
b. Homeostasis
c. Anabolism
d. Catabolism
Answer: b. Homeostasis
Rationale: Homeostasis is the state of steady internal conditions maintained by living things.
Metabolism refers to all chemical processes, with anabolism being the building-up phase and catabolism
the breaking-down phase.
8. An "idiopathic" disease is one:
a. That is highly contagious
b. Caused by a medical treatment
c. With an unknown cause
d. That develops suddenly
Answer: c. With an unknown cause
Rationale: Idiopathic is a term used to describe a disease or condition for which the cause is unknown.
Iatrogenic means caused by medical treatment.
9. The plane that divides the body into superior and inferior portions is the:
a. Sagittal plane
b. Frontal plane
c. Coronal plane
d. Transverse plane
Answer: d. Transverse plane
Rationale: The transverse (horizontal) plane runs horizontally from side to side, dividing the body into
upper (superior) and lower (inferior) parts. The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right, and
the frontal/coronal plane divides it into anterior and posterior.
10. Which directional term means "closest to the point of attachment to the trunk"?
a. Proximal
b. Distal
c. Lateral
d. Medial
Answer: a. Proximal
Rationale: Proximal describes a location on a limb that is nearer to the point of attachment to the trunk.
Distal is farther away. Lateral means to the side, and medial means toward the midline.
