CH 5: Medical Terminology

Question 1

abdominal quadrants

Answer 1

four divisions of the abdomen used to pinpoint the location of a pain or injury: the right upper quadrant (RUQ), the left upper quadrant (LUQ), the right lower quadrant (RLQ), and the left lower quadrant (LLQ).

Question 2

anatomic position

Answer 2

the standard reference position for the body in the study of anatomy. In this position, the body is standing erect, facing the observer, with arms down at the sides and the palms of the hands forward.

Question 3

anatomy

Answer 3

the study of body structure.

Question 4

anterior

Answer 4

the front of the body or body part.

Question 5

bilateral

Answer 5

on both sides

Question 6

combining form

Answer 6

a word root with an added vowel that can be joined with other words, roots, or suffixes to form a new word; for example, the combining form therm/o added to meter makes the new word thermometer.

Question 7

compound

Answer 7

a word formed from two or more whole words; for example, the compound smallpox formed from small and pox.

Question 8

distal

Answer 8

farther away from the torso.

Question 9

dorsal

Answer 9

referring to the back of the body or the back of the hand or foot. A synonym for posterior.

Question 10

Fowler position

Answer 10

a sitting position.

Question 11

inferior

Answer 11

away from the head, usually compared with another structure that is closer to the head (e.g., the lips are inferior to the nose).

Question 12

lateral

Answer 12

to the side, away from the midline of the body.

Question 13

medial

Answer 13

toward the midline of the body.

Question 14

midaxillary line

Answer 14

a line drawn vertically from the middle of the armpit to the ankle.

Question 15

midclavicular line

Answer 15

the line through the center of each clavicle.

Question 16

midline

Answer 16

an imaginary line drawn down the center of the body, dividing it into right and left halves.

Question 17

palmar

Answer 17

referring to the palm of the hand.

Question 18

physiology

Answer 18

the study of body function.

Question 19

plane

Answer 19

a flat surface formed when slicing through a solid object.

Question 20

plantar

Answer 20

referring to the sole of the foot.

Question 21

posterior

Answer 21

the back of the body or body part.

Question 22

prefix

Answer 22

word part added to the beginning of a root or word to modify or qualify its meaning; for example, the prefix bi- added to the word lateral forms the word bilateral.

Question 23

prone

Answer 23

lying facedown.

Question 24

proximal

Answer 24

closer to the torso.

Question 25

recovery position

Answer 25

lying on the side. Also called lateral recumbent position.

Question 26

root

Answer 26

foundation of a word that is not a word that can stand on its own—for example, the root cardi, meaning “heart,” in words such as cardiac and cardiology.

Question 27

suffix

Answer 27

word part added to the end of a root or word to complete its meaning; for example, the suffix -itis added to the root laryng forms the word laryngitis.

Question 28

superior

Answer 28

toward the head (e.g., the chest is superior to the abdomen).

Question 29

supine

Answer 29

lying on the back.

Question 30

torso

Answer 30

the trunk of the body, or the body without the head and the extremities.

Question 31

unilateral

Answer 31

limited to one side.

Question 32

ventral

Answer 32

referring to the front of the body. A synonym for anterior.