The combining form nas/o refers to which anatomical region?

The combining form nas/o refers to which anatomical region?

• A. Oral cavity
• B. Larynx
• C. Trachea
• D. Nasal passage/nose

Answer: (D)

nas/o denotes the nose—the nasal region and nasal cavity. In medical terminology, combining forms pair a root with a connecting vowel to form terms related to a specific body region, so nas/o is used for structures involving the nose (for example, nasopharynx or nasogastric). This is why the nasal passage/nose is the correct region. The mouth would use a different root (or/o or stomat/o), the larynx uses laryng/o, and the trachea uses trache/o, illustrating how the root points to the specific area.

nas/o denotes the nose—the nasal region and nasal cavity. In medical terminology, combining forms pair a root with a connecting vowel to form terms related to a specific body region, so nas/o is used for structures involving the nose (for example, nasopharynx or nasogastric). This is why the nasal passage/nose is the correct region. The mouth would use a different root (or/o or stomat/o), the larynx uses laryng/o, and the trachea uses trache/o, illustrating how the root points to the specific area.