Which root means white?

Which root means white?

• A. eryth
• B. leuk
• C. melan
• D. cyan

Answer: (B)

Color terms in medical language come from roots that indicate a specific color. The root that means white is leuk- (often written leuko- before vowels). It shows up in words like leukemia and leukocyte, where the idea is a white or pale color. The other roots map to different colors: eryth- means red (as in erythroderma), melan- means black or dark, and cyan- means blue (as in cyanosis). So leuk- is the correct root for white.

Color terms in medical language come from roots that indicate a specific color. The root that means white is leuk- (often written leuko- before vowels). It shows up in words like leukemia and leukocyte, where the idea is a white or pale color. The other roots map to different colors: eryth- means red (as in erythroderma), melan- means black or dark, and cyan- means blue (as in cyanosis). So leuk- is the correct root for white.