ALHS 1090 MIDTERM EXAM STUDY GUIDE | ALLIED HEALTH PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | COMPLETE MIDTERM REVIEW
what is a word root? - ANS ✔✔foundation of the word that contains its main meaning
What is a Combining Form? - ANS ✔✔created when a word root is combined with a vowel
(combining vowel), has no meaning of its own
What is a Suffix? - ANS ✔✔word element placed at the end of a word that changes the
meaning, and usually indicates a pathology, condition, symptom, therapeutic or diagnostic
procedure or part of speech
What is a Prefix? - ANS ✔✔word element placed at the beginning of the word, that changes the
meaning and usually indicates a number, time, position, measurement, direction, or negation
what are the three rules to building a medical word? - ANS ✔✔1. define the suffix
2. define the first part of the word (WR, CF, or prefix)
3. a CF links a root to another root to form a compound word (holds true even if the next root
begins with a vowel, as in gastr/o/intestin/al)
suffix: -centesis - ANS ✔✔surgical puncture
suffix: -clasis - ANS ✔✔to break; surgical fracture
suffix: -desis - ANS ✔✔binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)
suffix: -ectomy - ANS ✔✔excision, removal
,suffix: -lysis - ANS ✔✔separation; destruction; loosening
suffix: -tome - ANS ✔✔instrument to cut
suffix: -pexy - ANS ✔✔fixation (of an organ)
suffix: -plasty - ANS ✔✔surgical repair
suffix: -rrhaphy - ANS ✔✔suture
suffix: -stomy - ANS ✔✔forming an opening (mouth)
suffix: -itis - ANS ✔✔inflammation
suffix: -tripsy - ANS ✔✔crushing
suffix: -gram - ANS ✔✔record, writing
suffix: -graphy - ANS ✔✔process of recording
suffix: -graph - ANS ✔✔instrument for recording
suffix: -meter - ANS ✔✔instrument for measuring
suffix: -metry - ANS ✔✔act of measuring
,suffix: -scope - ANS ✔✔instrument for examining
suffix: -scopy - ANS ✔✔visual examination
suffix: -algia - ANS ✔✔pain
suffix: -cele - ANS ✔✔hernia, swelling
suffix: -dynia - ANS ✔✔pain
suffix: -ectasis - ANS ✔✔dilation, expansion
suffix: -edema - ANS ✔✔swelling
suffix: -emesis - ANS ✔✔vomiting
suffix: -emia - ANS ✔✔blood condition
suffix: -gen - ANS ✔✔forming, producing, origin
suffix: -genesis - ANS ✔✔forming, producing, origin
suffix: -ia - ANS ✔✔condition
suffix: -iasis - ANS ✔✔abnormal condition (produced by something specified)
, suffix: -iatry - ANS ✔✔treatment
suffix: -ician - ANS ✔✔specialist
suffix: -ism - ANS ✔✔condition
suffix: -ist - ANS ✔✔specialist
suffix: -lith - ANS ✔✔stone, calculus
suffix: -malacia - ANS ✔✔softening
suffix: -megaly - ANS ✔✔enlargement
suffix: -oma - ANS ✔✔tumor
suffix: -osis - ANS ✔✔abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells)
suffix: -pathy - ANS ✔✔disease
suffix: -penia - ANS ✔✔decrease, deficiency
suffix: -phagia - ANS ✔✔eating, swallowing
suffix: -phasia - ANS ✔✔speech
ANSWERS | COMPLETE MIDTERM REVIEW
what is a word root? - ANS ✔✔foundation of the word that contains its main meaning
What is a Combining Form? - ANS ✔✔created when a word root is combined with a vowel
(combining vowel), has no meaning of its own
What is a Suffix? - ANS ✔✔word element placed at the end of a word that changes the
meaning, and usually indicates a pathology, condition, symptom, therapeutic or diagnostic
procedure or part of speech
What is a Prefix? - ANS ✔✔word element placed at the beginning of the word, that changes the
meaning and usually indicates a number, time, position, measurement, direction, or negation
what are the three rules to building a medical word? - ANS ✔✔1. define the suffix
2. define the first part of the word (WR, CF, or prefix)
3. a CF links a root to another root to form a compound word (holds true even if the next root
begins with a vowel, as in gastr/o/intestin/al)
suffix: -centesis - ANS ✔✔surgical puncture
suffix: -clasis - ANS ✔✔to break; surgical fracture
suffix: -desis - ANS ✔✔binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)
suffix: -ectomy - ANS ✔✔excision, removal
,suffix: -lysis - ANS ✔✔separation; destruction; loosening
suffix: -tome - ANS ✔✔instrument to cut
suffix: -pexy - ANS ✔✔fixation (of an organ)
suffix: -plasty - ANS ✔✔surgical repair
suffix: -rrhaphy - ANS ✔✔suture
suffix: -stomy - ANS ✔✔forming an opening (mouth)
suffix: -itis - ANS ✔✔inflammation
suffix: -tripsy - ANS ✔✔crushing
suffix: -gram - ANS ✔✔record, writing
suffix: -graphy - ANS ✔✔process of recording
suffix: -graph - ANS ✔✔instrument for recording
suffix: -meter - ANS ✔✔instrument for measuring
suffix: -metry - ANS ✔✔act of measuring
,suffix: -scope - ANS ✔✔instrument for examining
suffix: -scopy - ANS ✔✔visual examination
suffix: -algia - ANS ✔✔pain
suffix: -cele - ANS ✔✔hernia, swelling
suffix: -dynia - ANS ✔✔pain
suffix: -ectasis - ANS ✔✔dilation, expansion
suffix: -edema - ANS ✔✔swelling
suffix: -emesis - ANS ✔✔vomiting
suffix: -emia - ANS ✔✔blood condition
suffix: -gen - ANS ✔✔forming, producing, origin
suffix: -genesis - ANS ✔✔forming, producing, origin
suffix: -ia - ANS ✔✔condition
suffix: -iasis - ANS ✔✔abnormal condition (produced by something specified)
, suffix: -iatry - ANS ✔✔treatment
suffix: -ician - ANS ✔✔specialist
suffix: -ism - ANS ✔✔condition
suffix: -ist - ANS ✔✔specialist
suffix: -lith - ANS ✔✔stone, calculus
suffix: -malacia - ANS ✔✔softening
suffix: -megaly - ANS ✔✔enlargement
suffix: -oma - ANS ✔✔tumor
suffix: -osis - ANS ✔✔abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells)
suffix: -pathy - ANS ✔✔disease
suffix: -penia - ANS ✔✔decrease, deficiency
suffix: -phagia - ANS ✔✔eating, swallowing
suffix: -phasia - ANS ✔✔speech
