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Latin medical word roots: meanings, examples and quiz
Learn six Latin medical word roots with examples, word-part breakdowns, and an eight-question quiz. Check answers and retry missed questions free.
Starting point: You do not need to read Latin. This lesson explains English vocabulary built from classical word parts.
How to study a medical word root
- Read the word part and its meaning in the table.
- Read the example as a complete word. Check how its parts contribute to its meaning.
- Cover the table and try the quiz. Read the explanation even when you answer correctly.
- Retry missed questions, then return another day to check recall.
A slash marks the boundary before a combining vowel: cyt/o pairs the root cyt with o. A word may use a different ending or omit that vowel. Word parts are clues; the complete word and its context determine the meaning.
Six word roots to learn
| Word part | Meaning | Source word | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| cutane/o | Skin | cutis (cutis) | cutaneous: Relating to the skin. |
| lacrim/o | Tear | lacrima (lacrima) | lacrimal: Relating to tears or the structures that produce them. |
| lingu/o | Tongue | lingua (lingua) | lingual: Relating to the tongue. |
| ocul/o | Eye | oculus (oculus) | ocular: Relating to the eye. |
| vascul/o | Vessel | vasculum (vasculum) | vascular: Relating to vessels, especially blood vessels. |
| corpor/o | Body | corpus corporis (corpus corporis) | corporeal: Relating to the physical body. |
Worked example: cutaneous
cutane (skin) + -ous (relating to).
Relating to the skin. First find the root in the table, then compare the meaning of the complete word. The ending contributes meaning too.
Read the complete word
Ocul/o means eye. In ocular, the ending -ar gives the sense “relating to.” Learn the root and the complete example together, rather than translating every letter on its own.
Check your recall
Choose one answer for each question. Get an explanation, then retry the questions you missed. Your score lasts for this page visit.
Answer key and explanations
- Skin — cutane/o means skin. Example: cutaneous. Relating to the skin.
- Tear — lacrim/o means tear. Example: lacrimal. Relating to tears or the structures that produce them.
- Tongue — lingu/o means tongue. Example: lingual. Relating to the tongue.
- Eye — ocul/o means eye. Example: ocular. Relating to the eye.
- Vessel — vascul/o means vessel. Example: vascular. Relating to vessels, especially blood vessels.
- Body — corpor/o means body. Example: corporeal. Relating to the physical body.
- cutane/o — cutane (skin) + -ous (relating to)
- lingu/o — lingu (tongue) + -al (relating to)
For teachers and independent learners
Use the table for a supported first attempt. For a recall check, start at the quiz and keep the table covered. Ask learners to explain one example in their own words. The score is a practice aid, not a proficiency assessment.
All questions and the answer key remain available without JavaScript. No account or payment is needed.
Continue learning
- Practice Latin first-declension forms online or on paper
- Browse the medical terminology reference
- Try the Greek medical roots lesson
Sources and scope
Forms, source words, and examples come from the Word Radicals curriculum. Each linked entry gives its source information. Compare word-part meanings in MedlinePlus: Word Parts and What They Mean. This is a vocabulary lesson, not clinical guidance.