Which morpheme means 'falling'?

Which morpheme means 'falling'?

• A. Supra-
• B. Mast-
• C. -ptosis
• D. -desis

Answer: (C)

The main idea is identifying a morpheme that conveys falling or drooping. The suffix -ptosis comes from a Greek word meaning falling or prolapse, and it’s used in medical terms to describe a part of the body that droops or sagges, such as when the eyelid droops in blepharoptosis. That makes -ptosis the best match for the meaning “falling.” By contrast, supra- is a prefix meaning above or beyond, so it points to position higher up rather than falling. Mast- is a root related to breast, seen in words like mastitis or mastopexy, not about falling. -desis is a suffix meaning surgical binding or fusion, as in arthrodesis, which describes a procedure rather than a drooping condition.

The main idea is identifying a morpheme that conveys falling or drooping. The suffix -ptosis comes from a Greek word meaning falling or prolapse, and it’s used in medical terms to describe a part of the body that droops or sagges, such as when the eyelid droops in blepharoptosis. That makes -ptosis the best match for the meaning “falling.”

By contrast, supra- is a prefix meaning above or beyond, so it points to position higher up rather than falling. Mast- is a root related to breast, seen in words like mastitis or mastopexy, not about falling. -desis is a suffix meaning surgical binding or fusion, as in arthrodesis, which describes a procedure rather than a drooping condition.