Which prefix is used to indicate nerve-related terms?

• A. Neo
• B. Nas(o)
• C. Neur(o)
• D. Ocul

Answer: (C)

The concept being tested is which morpheme signals nerve-related terms in medical language. Neur(o) comes from the Greek neuron meaning nerve and is used as the combining form to join with other word parts to describe nerves and nerve-related conditions, as in neurology, neuropathy, neuritis, and neural. That direct link to the nervous system is why this prefix is the correct choice for nerve-related terms.

Neo means new, nas(o) relates to the nose, and ocul- relates to the eye, so they don’t fit when the focus is nerves.