Olig/o means which of the following?

• A. Many
• B. Scanty, Few
• C. Various
• D. Ancient

Answer: (B)

Oligo- indicates a small amount or scarcity. That makes “scanty, few” the best fit, because in medical terms you’ll see it in words like oliguria (reduced urine output) or oligomenorrhea (infrequent menstrual periods), where the root signals not many or only a little. The other meanings don’t match this prefix: terms for many typically use poly- or multi-, “various” isn’t conveyed by oligo-, and “ancient” is linked to different prefixes such as paleo- or archaeo-. So the correct interpretation is scanty, few.