Medical terminology practice test: free questions with every word explained

Get 5 free medical terminology questions now, each with an explanation that breaks the word into its prefix, root and suffix. Then take two timed tests of 60 questions in 45 minutes on word parts, body systems, anatomical directions, procedures and abbreviations, with your score per section. For medical assistant, medical coding and billing, CNA, phlebotomy and pharmacy tech students, nursing prerequisites and hospital job tests.

• 5 free questions
• 2 timed tests, 120 questions
• Every word broken into parts
• Score per section
• Practice certificate PDF

What a medical terminology test covers

There is no single official medical terminology exam: your school, course or employer writes its own test. Almost all of them check the same five things, so MyLevel's tests are split like this:

Every question is an original MyLevel question with one correct answer, three wrong ones and a short explanation that takes the word apart, for example gastr/o (stomach) + -itis (inflammation) = gastritis. The two full tests have 60 questions in 45 minutes each; that pace (45 seconds per question) is MyLevel's own, not that of an official exam.

Where medical terminology is tested: the CMA (AAMA) example

Medical terminology is part of many healthcare courses and certification exams. One example with a published outline is the CMA (AAMA) exam for medical assistants:

Source: AAMA, CMA (AAMA) exam content outline and eligibility page, aama-ntl.org, checked 30 October 2026. MyLevel's tests cover general medical terminology only, not the other topics of the CMA (AAMA) exam; for those, see our CMA practice test. If you are in a phlebotomy program, our phlebotomy practice test follows the NHA CPT test plan.

Medical abbreviations: The Joint Commission's 'Do Not Use' list

Many abbreviations are safe and common (b.i.d. = twice a day, p.r.n. = as needed, p.o. = by mouth, NKDA = no known drug allergies). A few cause medication errors, so The Joint Commission put them on an official 'Do Not Use' list in 2004:

The list applies to medication orders and medication-related documentation. A trailing zero is still allowed where it shows precision, such as a lab result or a tube size. Source: The Joint Commission, 'Facts about the Official Do Not Use List', jointcommission.org, checked 30 October 2026. Your facility may have a longer list; follow it.

How to learn medical terminology fast

• Learn word parts, not whole words: a few hundred prefixes, suffixes and combining forms unlock thousands of terms. Cardi/o + -megaly = cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart).
• Read from the end: start with the suffix, then the prefix, then the root. Pericarditis = inflammation (-itis) around (peri-) the heart (cardi/o).
• Learn opposites in pairs: hypo- and hyper-, brady- and tachy-, proximal and distal, -ectomy (removal) and -stomy (new opening).
• Watch look-alikes: my/o (muscle) and myel/o (marrow or spinal cord), ile/o (ileum) and ili/o (ilium), -rrhea (flow) and -rrhage (bleeding).
• Use a free reference: the National Library of Medicine's free MedlinePlus tutorial 'Understanding Medical Words' explains how word parts combine.
• Test yourself under time: take a full MyLevel test, read the explanation of every miss, study your weakest section and retake the test until you score 80% or more in every section.

MyLevel is independent and not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), The Joint Commission, the National Library of Medicine or any other certifying body, school or employer. CMA (AAMA) is a credential of the AAMA. All questions are original practice questions written by MyLevel, not real exam questions, and a practice score is not an official score, credential or course credit.

Sample question with explanation

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