Which prefix indicates disease in medical terminology?

Which prefix indicates disease in medical terminology?

• A. Patho-
• B. Pathology
• C. Pathologic
• D. Paro-

Answer: (A)

Patho- is the prefix that signals disease in medical terminology, derived from Greek pathos meaning suffering or disease. It shows up in terms like pathophysiology, pathologist, and pathology, all related to disease processes. The other options aren’t prefixes indicating disease: pathology and pathologic are built from the same root but are whole words or descriptors, and paro- is a different prefix meaning beside or near and does not convey disease.

Patho- is the prefix that signals disease in medical terminology, derived from Greek pathos meaning suffering or disease. It shows up in terms like pathophysiology, pathologist, and pathology, all related to disease processes. The other options aren’t prefixes indicating disease: pathology and pathologic are built from the same root but are whole words or descriptors, and paro- is a different prefix meaning beside or near and does not convey disease.