Word Roots for Organs (Part 1)

An organ is a functional unit made up of tissues specialized to perform a particular task. For example, your liver, kidneys, and lungs are all organs.

This quiz will teach you the word roots or the combining form for each organ in the human body.

Quick Review for the Quiz

Check out the flashcard version for a more detailed review.

Combining Form Body Organ Sample Word
stomat/o mouth stomatitis
dent/o, dent/i teeth dentist
gloss/o tongue glossitis
lingu/o tongue linguolabial
gingiv/o gums gingivectomy
encephal/o brain encephalitis
gastr/o stomach gastralgia
enter/o intestine gastroenteritis
col/o, colon/o large intestine colonoscopy
proct/o rectum or anus proctodynia
rect/o rectum or anus rectocele
hepat/o liver hepatomegaly
nephr/o kidney nephrosis
ren/o kidney renography
orchid/o, orchi/o testis orchiopexy
oophor/o ovary oophorectomy
ovari/o ovary ovarioles
hyster/o uterus hysterectomy
uter/o uterus uterosacral
metr/o, metr/i uterus endometriosis
salping/o uterine tube (fallopian tube) salpingostomy

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Stomat/o
    • Gloss/o
    • Proct/o
    • Hyster/o

    Correct Wrong

    Stomat/o is a combining form that refers to "mouth". Let's take the word stomat/itis. Stomat is a word root that means "mouth", -itis is a suffix that refers to "inflammation". A condition called stomatitis is an inflammation involving the mucous membranes that line your mouth.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Dent/o
    • Ocul/o
    • Gingiv/o
    • Pneum/o

    Correct Wrong

    Dent/o is a combining form that refers to "teeth". Let's take the word dent/ist. Dent is a word root that means "teeth", -ist is a suffix that refers to "specialty".  A dentist is someone who fixes teeth. 

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Gloss/o
    • Gingiv/o
    • Encephal/o
    • Orchid/o

    Correct Wrong

    Gloss/o and lingu/o are combining forms that refer to the "tongue". Let's take the word gloss/itis. Gloss is a word root that means "tongue", -itis is a suffix that refers to "inflammation". Glossitis is an inflammation of the tongue.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Gingiv/o
    • Cyst/o
    • Gastr/o
    • Oste/o

    Correct Wrong

    Gingiv/o is a combining form that refers to the "gum". Let's take the word gingiv/ectomy. Gingiv is a word root that refers to "gum", -ectomy is a suffix that refers to a "surgical removal".  A gingivectomy is a dental procedure to remove diseased gum tissues.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Encephal/o
    • Mamm/o
    • Nephr/o
    • Adren/o

    Correct Wrong

    Encephal/o is a combining form that refers to the "brain". Let's take the word encephal/itis. Encephal is a word root that refers to "brain", -itis is a suffix that refers to "inflammation". Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain. It can be caused because of an infection.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Gastr/o
    • Lymph/o
    • Orchid/o
    • Oophor/o

    Correct Wrong

    Gastr/o is a combining form that refers to the "stomach". Let's look at the word gastr/algia as an example. Gastr is a word root that refers to "stomach", -algia is a suffix that pertains to "pain". Gastralgia means stomach ache.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Enter/o
    • Oste/o
    • Dent/o
    • Oophor/o

    Correct Wrong

    Enter/o is a combining form that refers to the "intestine". Let's look at the word gastro/enter/itis as an example. Gastr is a word root for "stomach", enter is a word root for "intestine", -itis is a suffix that pertains to "inflammation". Gastroenteritis is inflammation of both the stomach and intestines which is usually caused by an infection.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Colon/o
    • Gastr/o
    • Gingiv/o
    • Oste/o

    Correct Wrong

    Col/o or colon/o is a combining form that refers to the "large intestine". Let's look at the word colon/o/scopy as an example. Colon/o pertains to "large intestine", -scopy is a suffix that pertains to "process of viewing with a scope". A colonoscopy is a procedure in which a physician examines the inside of the rectum and colon using a scope or colonoscope. 

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Proct/o
    • Adren/o
    • Ocul/o
    • Dent/o

    Correct Wrong

    Proct/o or rect/o is a combining form that refers to "anus" or "rectum". Let's look at the word proct/o/dynia as an example. Proct/o pertains to "anus" or "rectum", -dynia is a suffix that pertains to "pain". Proctodynia is pain in the anus or in the rectum.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Hepat/o
    • Hyster/o
    • Colon/o
    • Stomat/o

    Correct Wrong

    Hepat/o is a combining form that refers to the "liver". Let's look at the word hepat/o/megaly as an example. Hepat/o pertains to "liver", -megaly is a suffix that pertains to "enlargement". Hepatomegaly is the enlargement of the liver.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Nephr/o
    • Enter/o
    • Hepat/o
    • Orchid/o

    Correct Wrong

    Nephr/o or ren/o is a combining form for "kidney". Consider the word nephr/osis as an example. Nephr pertains to "kidney", -osis is a suffix that refers to "abnormal condition". Nephrosis is a condition in which blood proteins leak into urine, which is accompanied by swelling and degenerative changes on the kidneys.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Orchid/o
    • Colon/o
    • Oste/o
    • Cardi/o

    Correct Wrong

    Orchid/o or orchi/o is a combining form for "testis". Take the word orchi/o/pexy as an example. Orchi/o pertains to "testis", -pexy is a suffix that refers to "fix or secure". Orchiopexy is a surgery designed to move and/or permanently fix a testicle into the scrotum. 

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Oophor/o
    • Derm/o
    • Cyst/o
    • Gingiv/o

    Correct Wrong

    Oophor/o or ovari/o is a combining form for "ovary". Take the word oophor/ectomy as an example. Oophor is a word root that pertains to "ovary", -ectomy is a suffix that refers to "surgical removal". An oophorectomy is a surgery that is carried out to remove either the ovaries or both of them, depending on the case.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Hyster/o
    • Encephal/o
    • Gastr/o
    • Oophor/o

    Correct Wrong

    Hyster/o, uter/o, metr/o or metr/i  is a combining form for "uterus". Take the word hyster/ectomy as an example. Hyster is a word root that pertains to "uterus", -ectomy is a suffix that refers to "surgical removal". A hysterectomy is an operative procedure which involves the removal of the uterus in its entirety or part of it.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Salping/o
    • Hyster/o
    • Hepat/o
    • Cardi/o

    Correct Wrong

    Salping/o is a combining form for "uterine tube (fallopian tube)". Take the word salping/o/stomy as an example. Salping/o pertains to "uterine tube", -stomy is a suffix that refers to "surgically creating a hole". Salpingostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an opening in the fallopian tube to repair a damaged tube or remove an ectopic pregnancy.