In the term hepatitis, which part is the root and what is its meaning?

Prepare for the Medical Terminology Test. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions, with hints and explanations for each question to strengthen your understanding. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

In the term hepatitis, which part is the root and what is its meaning?

Explanation:
Medical terms are built from a root that carries the main meaning, often joined to a suffix by a connecting vowel. In hepatitis, the part hepat/o is the combining form that means liver. The suffix -itis indicates inflammation. So, the whole term means inflammation of the liver. The other ideas—hepat/o meaning heart or -itis meaning infection—do not fit: heart is not the organ here (cardio- or cor/o would be used), and -itis denotes inflammation, not infection. The tiny “o” is simply a linking sound to connect the root to the suffix.

Medical terms are built from a root that carries the main meaning, often joined to a suffix by a connecting vowel. In hepatitis, the part hepat/o is the combining form that means liver. The suffix -itis indicates inflammation. So, the whole term means inflammation of the liver. The other ideas—hepat/o meaning heart or -itis meaning infection—do not fit: heart is not the organ here (cardio- or cor/o would be used), and -itis denotes inflammation, not infection. The tiny “o” is simply a linking sound to connect the root to the suffix.

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