Chapter 4, Problem 1SRQ

Summary Introduction

Introduction: The “word elements” make up the foundation of medical terminology. The prefix, the word root, and suffix are the three word elements.

Answer to Problem 1SRQ

Correct answer: “A prefix comes before a word root and modifies its meaning”. Therefore, option a. is correct.

Explanation of Solution

Reason for the correct statement:

Option a. is given as “comes before a word root and modifies its meaning”.

Prefix is a word element that comes before the word root. The medical terminologies have fixed the prefixes and suffixes to define terms, organs, surgical procedures, diseases, and many more. The prefix modifies the meaning of the word by the addition of information like presence, absence, location number, or size.

Hence, option a. is correct.

Reasons for incorrect statements:

Option b. is given as “establishes the basic meaning of a medical term”.

The basic meaning of medical term can be established by the word root not by prefix.

So, option b. in incorrect.

Option c. is given as “follows a word root and adds to or changes its meaning”.

A word root is followed by suffix not prefix.

So, option c. is incorrect.

Option d. is given as “makes pronunciation of the term easier”.

The combining vowel makes the pronunciation easier not the prefix.

So, option d. is incorrect.

Hence, options b., c., and d. are incorrect.

Conclusion

A prefix is an affix which is placed before the stem of a word.