HESI A2 Vocabulary & General Knowledge Mastery 2024/2025
– Authentic V1–V3 Questions with 100% Verified Answers and
Insightful Rationales
Below are 80 unique multiple-choice vocabulary and general knowledge ques-
tions tailored for the HESI A2 exam (versions V1–V3), focusing on word mean-
ings, synonyms, and context usage relevant to healthcare. Each question in-
cludes four answer choices, the correct answer, and a detailed rationale to en-
hance understanding. The content is formatted for professional PDF export.
Question 1: What does the term ”prognosis” mean in a medical context?
A. A surgical procedure
B. A predicted outcome of a disease
C. A type of medication
D. A diagnostic test
Correct Answer: B. A predicted outcome of a disease
Rationale: Prognosis refers to the expected course or outcome of a disease
based on medical evaluation. It is not a procedure, medication, or test.
Question 2: Which word is a synonym for ”acute” in describing a medical condition?
A. Chronic
B. Severe
C. Mild
D. Stable
Correct Answer: B. Severe
Rationale: Acute describes a condition that is severe and sudden in onset.
Chronic refers to long-term conditions, mild to less severe, and stable to
consistent conditions.
Question 3: In a healthcare setting, what does ”aseptic” mean?
A. Contaminated
B. Free from infection
C. Painful
D. Swollen
Correct Answer: B. Free from infection
Rationale: Aseptic means free from pathogenic microorganisms, ensuring
a sterile environment. The other options describe unrelated conditions.
Question 4: What is the meaning of ”edema” in a medical context?
A. Fever
B. Swelling due to fluid
1
, C. Infection
D. Bruising
Correct Answer: B. Swelling due to fluid
Rationale: Edema refers to swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in body
tissues. It is not related to fever, infection, or bruising.
Question 5: Which term describes a substance that causes an immune response?
A. Antigen
B. Antibody
C. Antibiotic
D. Antiseptic
Correct Answer: A. Antigen
Rationale: An antigen is a substance that triggers an immune response by
stimulating antibody production. Antibodies neutralize antigens, antibi-
otics treat infections, and antiseptics prevent infection.
Question 6: What does ”benign” mean when describing a tumor?
A. Cancerous
B. Non-cancerous
C. Infectious
D. Chronic
Correct Answer: B. Non-cancerous
Rationale: A benign tumor is non-cancerous and does not spread to other
tissues. Cancerous tumors are malignant, and the other options are unre-
lated.
Question 7: Which word is a synonym for ”pallor”?
A. Redness
B. Paleness
C. Swelling
D. Bruising
Correct Answer: B. Paleness
Rationale: Pallor refers to an unhealthy paleness of the skin, often indicat-
ing illness. The other options describe different physical symptoms.
Question 8: In a medical context, what does ”chronic” mean?
A. Sudden and severe
B. Long-term and persistent
C. Mild and temporary
2
, D. Infectious
Correct Answer: B. Long-term and persistent
Rationale: Chronic describes conditions that persist over a long period.
Acute is sudden and severe, and the other options are incorrect.
Question 9: What is the meaning of ”cyanosis” in a healthcare setting?
A. Bluish skin due to low oxygen
B. Yellowing of the skin
C. Excessive sweating
D. Muscle weakness
Correct Answer: A. Bluish skin due to low oxygen
Rationale: Cyanosis is a condition where skin turns bluish due to insuffi-
cient oxygen in the blood. Yellowing is jaundice, and the other options are
unrelated.
Question 10: Which term refers to the surgical removal of a body part?
A. Amputation
B. Biopsy
C. Incision
D. Suture
Correct Answer: A. Amputation
Rationale: Amputation is the surgical removal of a limb or body part. Biopsy
involves tissue sampling, incision is a cut, and suture is stitching.
Question 11: What does ”distal” mean in anatomical terms?
A. Near the center of the body
B. Farther from the center of the body
C. Above the waist
D. Below the waist
Correct Answer: B. Farther from the center of the body
Rationale: Distal describes a position farther from the body’s midline or
point of attachment, opposite of proximal. The other options are incorrect.
Question 12: Which word is a synonym for ”febrile”?
A. Painful
B. Feverish
C. Swollen
D. Nauseous
3
– Authentic V1–V3 Questions with 100% Verified Answers and
Insightful Rationales
Below are 80 unique multiple-choice vocabulary and general knowledge ques-
tions tailored for the HESI A2 exam (versions V1–V3), focusing on word mean-
ings, synonyms, and context usage relevant to healthcare. Each question in-
cludes four answer choices, the correct answer, and a detailed rationale to en-
hance understanding. The content is formatted for professional PDF export.
Question 1: What does the term ”prognosis” mean in a medical context?
A. A surgical procedure
B. A predicted outcome of a disease
C. A type of medication
D. A diagnostic test
Correct Answer: B. A predicted outcome of a disease
Rationale: Prognosis refers to the expected course or outcome of a disease
based on medical evaluation. It is not a procedure, medication, or test.
Question 2: Which word is a synonym for ”acute” in describing a medical condition?
A. Chronic
B. Severe
C. Mild
D. Stable
Correct Answer: B. Severe
Rationale: Acute describes a condition that is severe and sudden in onset.
Chronic refers to long-term conditions, mild to less severe, and stable to
consistent conditions.
Question 3: In a healthcare setting, what does ”aseptic” mean?
A. Contaminated
B. Free from infection
C. Painful
D. Swollen
Correct Answer: B. Free from infection
Rationale: Aseptic means free from pathogenic microorganisms, ensuring
a sterile environment. The other options describe unrelated conditions.
Question 4: What is the meaning of ”edema” in a medical context?
A. Fever
B. Swelling due to fluid
1
, C. Infection
D. Bruising
Correct Answer: B. Swelling due to fluid
Rationale: Edema refers to swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in body
tissues. It is not related to fever, infection, or bruising.
Question 5: Which term describes a substance that causes an immune response?
A. Antigen
B. Antibody
C. Antibiotic
D. Antiseptic
Correct Answer: A. Antigen
Rationale: An antigen is a substance that triggers an immune response by
stimulating antibody production. Antibodies neutralize antigens, antibi-
otics treat infections, and antiseptics prevent infection.
Question 6: What does ”benign” mean when describing a tumor?
A. Cancerous
B. Non-cancerous
C. Infectious
D. Chronic
Correct Answer: B. Non-cancerous
Rationale: A benign tumor is non-cancerous and does not spread to other
tissues. Cancerous tumors are malignant, and the other options are unre-
lated.
Question 7: Which word is a synonym for ”pallor”?
A. Redness
B. Paleness
C. Swelling
D. Bruising
Correct Answer: B. Paleness
Rationale: Pallor refers to an unhealthy paleness of the skin, often indicat-
ing illness. The other options describe different physical symptoms.
Question 8: In a medical context, what does ”chronic” mean?
A. Sudden and severe
B. Long-term and persistent
C. Mild and temporary
2
, D. Infectious
Correct Answer: B. Long-term and persistent
Rationale: Chronic describes conditions that persist over a long period.
Acute is sudden and severe, and the other options are incorrect.
Question 9: What is the meaning of ”cyanosis” in a healthcare setting?
A. Bluish skin due to low oxygen
B. Yellowing of the skin
C. Excessive sweating
D. Muscle weakness
Correct Answer: A. Bluish skin due to low oxygen
Rationale: Cyanosis is a condition where skin turns bluish due to insuffi-
cient oxygen in the blood. Yellowing is jaundice, and the other options are
unrelated.
Question 10: Which term refers to the surgical removal of a body part?
A. Amputation
B. Biopsy
C. Incision
D. Suture
Correct Answer: A. Amputation
Rationale: Amputation is the surgical removal of a limb or body part. Biopsy
involves tissue sampling, incision is a cut, and suture is stitching.
Question 11: What does ”distal” mean in anatomical terms?
A. Near the center of the body
B. Farther from the center of the body
C. Above the waist
D. Below the waist
Correct Answer: B. Farther from the center of the body
Rationale: Distal describes a position farther from the body’s midline or
point of attachment, opposite of proximal. The other options are incorrect.
Question 12: Which word is a synonym for ”febrile”?
A. Painful
B. Feverish
C. Swollen
D. Nauseous
3
