Which prefix means black?

Which prefix means black?

• A. Melan-
• B. Leuko-
• C. Xantho-
• D. Erythro-

Answer: (A)

Black is conveyed in medical terminology by the prefix melan-, which comes from a word meaning black or dark. It appears in terms like melanoma (a dark pigmented tumor), melanocyte (pigment-producing cell), and melanin (the pigment that colors skin, hair, and eyes). The other prefixes describe different colors: leuko- white, xantho- yellow, and erythro- red, so they don’t indicate black.

Black is conveyed in medical terminology by the prefix melan-, which comes from a word meaning black or dark. It appears in terms like melanoma (a dark pigmented tumor), melanocyte (pigment-producing cell), and melanin (the pigment that colors skin, hair, and eyes). The other prefixes describe different colors: leuko- white, xantho- yellow, and erythro- red, so they don’t indicate black.