Chapter 5: Medical Terminology

Question 1

compound

Answer 1

a word formed from two or more whole words

Question 2

root

Answer 2

the foundation of a word that is not a word that can stand on its own.

Question 3

combining form

Answer 3

a word root with an added vowel that can be joined with other words, roots, or suffixes to form a new word.

Question 4

prefix

Answer 4

word part added to the beginning of a root or word to modify or qualify its meaning.

Question 5

suffix

Answer 5

word part added to the end of a root or word to complete its meaning.

Question 6

anatomy

Answer 6

the study of body structure

Question 7

physiology

Answer 7

the study of body function

Question 8

anatomic position

Answer 8

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 9

plane

Answer 9

a flat surface formed when slicing through a solid object.

Question 10

midline

Answer 10

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

Question 11

medial

Answer 11

toward the midline of the body.

Question 12

lateral

Answer 12

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

Question 13

bilateral

Answer 13

on both sides

Question 14

unilateral

Answer 14

limited to one side

Question 15

mid-axillary line

Answer 15

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

Question 16

anterior

Answer 16

the front of the body or body part.

Question 17

posterior

Answer 17

the back of the body or body part.

Question 18

ventral

Answer 18

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

Question 19

dorsal

Answer 19

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

Question 20

superior

Answer 20

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

Question 21

inferior

Answer 21

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 22

proximal

Answer 22

closer to the torso

Question 23

distal

Answer 23

farther away from the torso

Question 24

torso

Answer 24

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

Question 25

palmar

Answer 25

referring to the palm of the hand.

Question 26

plantar

Answer 26

referring to the sole of the foot.

Question 27

mid-clavicular

Answer 27

the line through the center of each clavicle.

Question 28

abdominal quadrants

Answer 28

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 29

supine

Answer 29

lying on the back

Question 30

prone

Answer 30

lying facedown

Question 31

recovery position

Answer 31

lying on the side; also called lateral

Question 32

Fowler position

Answer 32

a sitting position