Which prefix indicates 'many'?

Which prefix indicates 'many'?

• A. SUB
• B. RETRO
• C. POLY
• D. QUADRI

Answer: (C)

In medical terminology, prefixes that express quantity tell you how many of something there are. The prefix that indicates many is poly-. It comes from Greek polus meaning “many” and is used in terms like polyuria (many urinations) or polymer (a substance made of many units). The other options don’t convey “many”: sub- means under or beneath, retro- means backward or behind, and quadro-/quadri- means four. So poly- is the appropriate prefix for conveying the idea of “many.”

In medical terminology, prefixes that express quantity tell you how many of something there are. The prefix that indicates many is poly-. It comes from Greek polus meaning “many” and is used in terms like polyuria (many urinations) or polymer (a substance made of many units). The other options don’t convey “many”: sub- means under or beneath, retro- means backward or behind, and quadro-/quadri- means four. So poly- is the appropriate prefix for conveying the idea of “many.”