Word Roots of the Body Parts (Part 2)

Getting familiar with the root words of the human body is the first step in your medical terminology studies. Take this quiz to get started.

Quick Review for the Quiz

Check out the flashcard version for a more detailed review.

Combining Form Body Part Sample Word
carp/o wrist metacarpal
cheil/o, chil/o lip cheilitis
dactyl/o finger or toe polydactyly
gnath/o jaw dysgnathia
gon/o genitals gonorrhea
om/o shoulder omohyoid
omphal/o umbilicus (navel) omphalectomy
onych/o nail chromonychia
ped/o foot or child bipedal
pod/o foot podiatry
thel/o nipple (teat) thelarche
trachel/o neck tracheloplasty
trich/o hair or hair-like structure hypertrichosis

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Dactyl/o
    • Trachel/o
    • Acr/o
    • Om/o

    Correct Wrong

    Dactyl/o is a combining form for "finger" or "toe". Take the word poly/dactyl/y as an example. Poly- is a prefix that means "many", dactyl is a word root that pertains to "finger" or "toe", -y is a suffix that refers to "condition".  A polydactyly is a condition in which one or more fingers or toes are present on either the hand or the foot.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Pod/o
    • Cheil/o
    • Trachel/o
    • Dactyl/o

    Correct Wrong

    Ped/i or pod/o  is a combining form for "foot". Take the word pod/iatry as an example. Pod is a word root that pertains to "foot", -iatry is a suffix that refers to "specialty".  The specialty of podiatry treats disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity through medical and surgical means. 

  • Question of

    The combining form for genitals.

    • Gon/o
    • Ot/o
    • Peritone/o
    • Thorac/o

    Correct Wrong

    Gon/o  is a combining form for "genitals". Take the word gon/o/rrhea as an example. Gon/o pertains to "genitals", -rrhea is a suffix that refers to "flow; discharge". Sexually transmitted gonorrhea affects the genital and urinary tracts and causes pus to discharge.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Trich/o
    • Omphal/o
    • Lapar/o
    • Pod/o

    Correct Wrong

    Trich/o is a combining form for "hair" or "hair-like structure". Take the word hyper/trich/o/sis as an example. Hyper- is a prefix that means "high" or "above normal", trich/o pertains to "hair", -sis is a suffix that refers to "condition". Hypertrichosis is the condition of excessive body hair.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Gnath/o
    • Cephal/o
    • Acr/o
    • Cheil/o

    Correct Wrong

    Gnath/o is a combining form for "jaw". Take the word dys/gnath/ia as an example. Dys- is a prefix that means "bad", gnath is a word root that pertains to "jaw", -ia is a suffix that refers to "condition". Dysgnathia is the malformation of the jaw.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Cheil/o
    • Dactyl/o
    • Om/o
    • Trachel/o

    Correct Wrong

    Cheil/o or chil/o  is a combining form for "lip". Take the word cheil/itis as an example. Cheil is a word root that pertains to "lip", -itis is a suffix that refers to "inflammation". Cheilitis is the inflammation of the lips.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Onych/o
    • Brachi/o
    • Ot/o
    • Lapar/o

    Correct Wrong

    Onych/o is a combining form for "nail". Take the word chrom/onych/ia as an example. Chrom- is a prefix that means "color" or "pigment", onych is a word root that pertains to "nail", -ia is a suffix that refers to "condition". An abnormality in the color of the nails is called chromonychia.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Omphal/o
    • Cervic/o
    • Cephal/o
    • Carp/o

    Correct Wrong

    Omphal/o is a combining form for "umbilicus (navel)". Take the word omphal/ectomy as an example. Omphal is a word root that pertains to "navel", -ectomy is a suffix that refers to "surgical removal". An omphalectomy is the surgical removal of the navel.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Trachel/o
    • Thorac/o
    • Lapar/o
    • Omphal/o

    Correct Wrong

    Trachel/o or cervic/o is a combining form for "cervix" or "neck". Take the word trachel/o/plasty as an example. Trachel/o pertains to "cervix", -plasty is a suffix that refers to "surgical repair or reconstruction". Tracheloplasty is the surgical repair or reconstruction of the cervix.

  • Question of

    The combining form for the image.

    • Thel/o
    • Celi/o
    • Gon/o
    • Trich/o

    Correct Wrong

    Thel/o is a combining form for "nipple". Take the word thel/arche  as an example. Thel is a word root that pertains to "nipple", -arche is a suffix that refers to "beginning".  Thelarche begins adult breast development, marks the beginning of puberty.

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Om/o
    • Carp/o
    • Dactyl/o
    • Gon/o

    Correct Wrong

    Om/o is a combining form for "shoulder". Take the word om/o/hyoid  as an example. Om/o pertains to "shoulder",and hyoid refers to "hyoid bone".  Omohyoid muscle pulls down on the hyoid bone. It is a muscle connecting the upper shoulder with the upper neck. 

  • Question of

    Find the combining form of the image.

    • Carp/o
    • Omphal/o
    • Gnath/o
    • Peritone/o

    Correct Wrong

    Carp/o is a combining form for "wrist". Take the word meta/carp/al  as an example. Meta- is a prefix that means "behind", carp is a word root that pertains to "wrist", -al is a suffix that means to "pertaining to".  The metacarpal bones are in the hands, between the phalanges of the fingers and the wrist bones.