LOOK-ALIKE, SOUND-ALIKE TERMS AND WORD PARTS

Question 1

What does “arteri/o-“ mean?

Answer 1

means artery. Endarterial (end-ar-TEE- ree-al) means pertaining to the interior or lining of an artery (end- means within, arteri means artery, and -al means pertaining to).

Question 2

What does “ather/o-“ mean?

Answer 2

means plaque or fatty substance. An ather- oma (ath-er-OH-mah) is a fatty deposit within the wall of an artery (ather means fatty substance, and -oma means tumor).

Question 3

What does “arthr/o-“ mean?

Answer 3

means joint. Arthralgia (ar-THRAL-jee-ah) means pain in a joint or joints (arthr means joint, and -algia means pain).

Question 4

What does “-ectomy” mean?

Answer 4

means surgical removal. An appendectomy (ap-en-DECK-toh-mee) is the surgical removal of the appendix (append means appendix, and -ectomy means surgical removal).

Question 5

What does “-ostomy” mean?

Answer 5

means the surgical creation of an artificial opening to the body surface. A colostomy (koh-LAHS- toh-mee) is the surgical creation of an artificial excretory opening between the colon and the body surface (col means colon, and -ostomy means the surgical creation of an artificial opening).

Question 6

What does “-otomy” mean?

Answer 6

means cutting or a surgical incision. A colotomy (koh-LOT-oh-mee) is a surgical incision into the colon (col means colon, and -otomy means a surgical incision).

Question 7

What does “fissure” mean?

Answer 7

a groove or crack-like sore of the skin (see Chapter 12). This term also describes normal folds in the contours of the brain.

Question 8

What does “fistula” mean?

Answer 8

an abnormal passage, usu- ally between two internal organs or leading from an organ to the surface of the body. A fistula may be due to surgery, injury, or the draining of an abscess.

Question 9

What does “ileum” mean?

Answer 9

the last and longest portion of the small intestine. Memory aid: ileum is spelled with an e as in intestine.

Question 10

What does “ilium” mean?

Answer 10

part of the hip bone. Memory aid: ilium is spelled with an i as in hip. (Figure 1.11)

Question 11

What does “malaise” mean?

Answer 11

a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness that is often the first indication of an infection or other disease.

Question 12

What does “exudate” mean?

Answer 12

fluid, such as pus, that leaks out of an infected wound.

Question 13

What does “laceration” mean?

Answer 13

a torn or jagged wound or an accidental cut wound.

Question 14

What does “lesion” mean?

Answer 14

a pathologic change of the tissues due to disease or injury.

Question 15

What does “mucous” mean?

Answer 15

the specialized membranes that line the body cavities.

Question 16

What does “mucus” mean?

Answer 16

the name of the fluid secreted by these mucous membranes.

Question 17

What does “myc/o” mean?

Answer 17

any abnormal condition or disease caused by a fungus (myc means fungus, and -osis means abnormal condition or disease).

Question 18

What does “myel/o-“ mean?

Answer 18

bone marrow or spinal cord. The term myelopathy (my-eh-LOP-ah-thee) describes any pathologic change or disease in the spinal cord (myel/o means spinal cord or bone marrow, and -pathy means disease).

Question 19

What does “my/o-“ mean?

Answer 19

means muscle. The term myopathy (my-OP- ah-thee) describes any pathologic change or disease of muscle tissue (my/o means muscle, and -pathy means disease).

Question 20

What does “-ologist” mean?

Answer 20

means specialist. A dermatologist (der-mah- TOL-oh-jist) is a physician who specializes in diag- nosing and treating disorders of the skin (dermat means skin, and -ologist means specialist).

Question 21

What does “-ology” mean?

Answer 21

means the study of. Neonatology (nee-oh-nay- TOL-oh-jee) is the study of disorders of the newborn (neo- means new, nat means birth, and -ology means study of).

Question 22

What does “palpation” mean?

Answer 22

an examination tech-nique in which the examiner’s hands are used to feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts.

Question 23

What does “palpitation” mean?

Answer 23

is a pounding or racing heart.

Question 24

What does “pyel/o-“ mean?

Answer 24

means renal pelvis, which is part of the kidney. Pyelitis (pye-eh-LYE-tis) is an inflammation of the renal pelvis (pyel means renal pelvis, and -itis means inflammation).

Question 25

What does “py/o” mean?

Answer 25

means pus. Pyoderma (pye-oh-DER-mah) is any acute, inflammatory, pus-forming bacterial skin infec- tion such as impetigo (py/o means pus, and -derma means skin).

Question 26

What does “pyr/o-“ mean?

Answer 26

means fever or fire. Pyrosis (pye-ROH-sis), also known as heartburn, is discomfort due to the regur- gitation of stomach acid upward into the esophagus (pyr means fever or fire, and -osis means abnormal condition or disease).

Question 27

What does “supination” mean?

Answer 27

is the act of rotating the arm so that the palm of the hand is forward or upward.

Question 28

What does “suppuration” mean?

Answer 28

is the formation or discharge of pus.

Question 29

What does “triage” mean?

Answer 29

is the medical screening of patients to determine their relative priority of need and the proper place of treatment. (Figure 1.12)

Question 30

What does “trauma” mean?

Answer 30

means wound or injury. These are the types of injuries that might occur in an accident, shooting, natural disaster, or fire.

Question 31

What does “viral” mean?

Answer 31

means pertaining to a virus (vir means virus or poison, and -al means pertaining to).

Question 32

What does “virile” mean?

Answer 32

means having the nature, properties, or qualities of an adult male.