Which prefix means finger, toe?

Master the Dean Vaughn Medical Terminology Test. Engage with flashcards and quizzes, detailed explanations provided. Enhance your medical vocabulary for exam success.

Multiple Choice

Which prefix means finger, toe?

Explanation:
The main idea here is recognizing the word parts that name a body part. The prefix digit- literally means finger or toe, coming from Latin digitus. That makes it the correct choice for indicating a digit on the body, as in digital (relating to a finger or toe). The other prefixes don’t convey this meaning. Dys- means bad or abnormal, pro- means before or forward, and en- means in or within, so they don’t reference fingers or toes. (For context, another form that does relate to fingers or toes is dactyl-, which appears in terms like polydactyly, but the prefix in question here is digit-.)

The main idea here is recognizing the word parts that name a body part. The prefix digit- literally means finger or toe, coming from Latin digitus. That makes it the correct choice for indicating a digit on the body, as in digital (relating to a finger or toe).

The other prefixes don’t convey this meaning. Dys- means bad or abnormal, pro- means before or forward, and en- means in or within, so they don’t reference fingers or toes. (For context, another form that does relate to fingers or toes is dactyl-, which appears in terms like polydactyly, but the prefix in question here is digit-.)

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