HCC Exam UPDATED QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
From which languages are many word elements derived? - CORRECT ANSWER Greek or
Latin
What do medical word elements include? - CORRECT ANSWER Word roots, prefixes,
suffixes, and combining forms
How can one understand the meaning of medical words? - CORRECT ANSWER By breaking
them into their word elements
Which part of a medical term contains its primary meaning? - CORRECT ANSWER Word root
Which part of a word usually indicates anatomical direction? - CORRECT ANSWER Prefix
What do words with Latin roots typically describe? - CORRECT ANSWER Anatomical
structures
What do words with Greek roots typically describe? - CORRECT ANSWER Diseases and
treatments
How are combining forms created? - CORRECT ANSWER When word roots are combined
with vowels
What should you study to determine if a word means that an organ has been removed? - CORRECT
ANSWER The suffix
What is true about suffixes? - CORRECT ANSWER They are included on all medical terms
What should you use to link a suffix that begins with a consonant? - CORRECT
ANSWER Combining form
,Which part of a word indicates the position of an organ? - CORRECT ANSWER Prefix
Which part of the word usually indicates a disease? - CORRECT ANSWER Suffix
When defining a medical word, which part should you define first? - CORRECT
ANSWER Suffix
What is Rule 1 when building a medical word? - CORRECT ANSWER A word root links a
suffix that begins with a vowel
What are compound words? - CORRECT ANSWER Words that contain more than one root
word.
How are multiple roots within a compound word joined together? - CORRECT ANSWER With
a vowel.
What does hematology mean? - CORRECT ANSWER Study of blood.
What is true about the rule for linking multiple roots? - CORRECT ANSWER It differs from
the rules for linking roots to suffixes.
What is helpful to understand medical terms? - CORRECT ANSWER Group them together by
meaning.
What type of suffix describes an invasive procedure performed on a body part? - CORRECT
ANSWER Surgical.
What type of suffix is used to identify the cause and nature of an illness? - CORRECT
ANSWER Diagnostic.
What type of suffix describes an abnormal condition or disease? - CORRECT
ANSWER Pathological.
, Which suffix pertains to the skin? - CORRECT ANSWER -ous.
What type of suffix is -centesis? - CORRECT ANSWER Surgical.
Which suffix pertains to the heart? - CORRECT ANSWER -ac.
What suffix indicates an infection in the lungs? - CORRECT ANSWER -ia.
What do short grammatical suffixes form when attached to word roots? - CORRECT
ANSWER Different parts of speech.
What part of the word changes when it goes from singular to plural? - CORRECT
ANSWER Suffix.
Which suffix indicates that a body structure is small? - CORRECT ANSWER -icle.
What does postnatal mean? - CORRECT ANSWER after birth
Which is a prefix of position? - CORRECT ANSWER endo-
Prefixes of number and measurement describe a: - CORRECT ANSWER degree of
involvement
Prefixes of direction describe a(n): - CORRECT ANSWER pathway or route
Sub- is a prefix of: - CORRECT ANSWER position
Inter- is a prefix of: - CORRECT ANSWER position
CORRECT ANSWERS
From which languages are many word elements derived? - CORRECT ANSWER Greek or
Latin
What do medical word elements include? - CORRECT ANSWER Word roots, prefixes,
suffixes, and combining forms
How can one understand the meaning of medical words? - CORRECT ANSWER By breaking
them into their word elements
Which part of a medical term contains its primary meaning? - CORRECT ANSWER Word root
Which part of a word usually indicates anatomical direction? - CORRECT ANSWER Prefix
What do words with Latin roots typically describe? - CORRECT ANSWER Anatomical
structures
What do words with Greek roots typically describe? - CORRECT ANSWER Diseases and
treatments
How are combining forms created? - CORRECT ANSWER When word roots are combined
with vowels
What should you study to determine if a word means that an organ has been removed? - CORRECT
ANSWER The suffix
What is true about suffixes? - CORRECT ANSWER They are included on all medical terms
What should you use to link a suffix that begins with a consonant? - CORRECT
ANSWER Combining form
,Which part of a word indicates the position of an organ? - CORRECT ANSWER Prefix
Which part of the word usually indicates a disease? - CORRECT ANSWER Suffix
When defining a medical word, which part should you define first? - CORRECT
ANSWER Suffix
What is Rule 1 when building a medical word? - CORRECT ANSWER A word root links a
suffix that begins with a vowel
What are compound words? - CORRECT ANSWER Words that contain more than one root
word.
How are multiple roots within a compound word joined together? - CORRECT ANSWER With
a vowel.
What does hematology mean? - CORRECT ANSWER Study of blood.
What is true about the rule for linking multiple roots? - CORRECT ANSWER It differs from
the rules for linking roots to suffixes.
What is helpful to understand medical terms? - CORRECT ANSWER Group them together by
meaning.
What type of suffix describes an invasive procedure performed on a body part? - CORRECT
ANSWER Surgical.
What type of suffix is used to identify the cause and nature of an illness? - CORRECT
ANSWER Diagnostic.
What type of suffix describes an abnormal condition or disease? - CORRECT
ANSWER Pathological.
, Which suffix pertains to the skin? - CORRECT ANSWER -ous.
What type of suffix is -centesis? - CORRECT ANSWER Surgical.
Which suffix pertains to the heart? - CORRECT ANSWER -ac.
What suffix indicates an infection in the lungs? - CORRECT ANSWER -ia.
What do short grammatical suffixes form when attached to word roots? - CORRECT
ANSWER Different parts of speech.
What part of the word changes when it goes from singular to plural? - CORRECT
ANSWER Suffix.
Which suffix indicates that a body structure is small? - CORRECT ANSWER -icle.
What does postnatal mean? - CORRECT ANSWER after birth
Which is a prefix of position? - CORRECT ANSWER endo-
Prefixes of number and measurement describe a: - CORRECT ANSWER degree of
involvement
Prefixes of direction describe a(n): - CORRECT ANSWER pathway or route
Sub- is a prefix of: - CORRECT ANSWER position
Inter- is a prefix of: - CORRECT ANSWER position
