Can you match these prefixes, suffixes, and word roots with their definitions?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Here are the correct matches between the prefixes, suffixes, and word roots with their corresponding definitions:
- leuc- (or leuk-): white
- Definition: “Leuc-” or “leuk-” comes from the Greek word “leukos,” meaning white. It is commonly used to refer to white blood cells, such as in “leukocyte” (white blood cell) or “leukemia” (a cancer of white blood cells).
- vita: life
- Definition: “Vita” is derived from the Latin word “vita,” meaning life. This root is seen in words like “vital” (essential for life) and “vitality” (the state of being strong and active).
- lip-: fat
- Definition: The prefix “lip-” comes from the Greek word “lipos,” meaning fat. It is used in terms like “lipid” (a group of naturally occurring molecules, including fats) and “liposuction” (a procedure to remove fat).
- erythro-: red
- Definition: “Erythro-” comes from the Greek word “erythros,” meaning red. It is found in words like “erythrocyte” (a red blood cell) and “erythropoiesis” (the production of red blood cells).
- pneumo-: lung
- Definition: “Pneumo-” comes from the Greek word “pneuma,” meaning air or breath. This prefix is seen in terms like “pneumonia” (an infection of the lungs) and “pneumothorax” (air in the chest cavity).
- sarco-: muscle
- Definition: “Sarco-” comes from the Greek word “sarx,” meaning flesh or muscle. It is used in terms like “sarcomere” (a structural unit of a muscle) and “sarcoma” (a type of cancer that originates in muscle or connective tissue).
- -plasm: formative substance
- Definition: The suffix “-plasm” is from the Greek “plasma,” meaning something formed or molded. It refers to a formative substance in biological cells, such as in “cytoplasm” (the material within a cell) and “plasmid” (a genetic structure).
- oss- (or osteo-): bone
- Definition: “Oss-” and “osteo-” come from the Latin word “os,” meaning bone. It is found in words like “osteoporosis” (a condition where bones become weak) and “osteocyte” (a bone cell).
- carcin-: cancer
- Definition: “Carcin-” is derived from the Greek word “karkinos,” meaning crab or cancer. This is used in terms like “carcinoma” (a type of cancer) and “carcinogenic” (something that causes cancer).
In summary, these prefixes, suffixes, and roots are integral to the formation of medical and biological terms, and they stem from Latin and Greek origins. They help form words that are central to the fields of biology, medicine, and anatomy.