What does encephal(o) mean?

• A. Brain
• B. Within
• C. Intestine
• D. Red

Answer: (A)

Encephal(o) points to the brain. It comes from the Greek word enkephalos, meaning brain, and is used in medical terms to describe things related to the brain, such as encephalitis (brain inflammation), encephalopathy (brain disease), or encephalogram (a recording of brain activity). That brain connection is what makes it the correct meaning. The other options refer to different roots: within is usually shown by intra- or endo-, the intestine by enter- or entero-, and red by erythr- or rhod-, none of which relate to the brain.