The combining form indicating the uvula or grape-like clusters and staphylococcus is which?

• A. Staphyl/o
• B. Nat/o
• C. Infer/o
• D. Dur/o

Answer: (A)

The concept tested is how combining forms capture appearance or name origins. Staphyl/o comes from Greek staphyle meaning a bunch of grapes, which explains why it’s used for both the uvula (named for its grape-like shape) and for bacteria that arrange themselves in grape-like clusters, as in Staphylococcus. The other roots point to unrelated ideas—nat/o deals with birth, infer/o with below or inward, and dur/o with something hard or the dura mater—so they don’t describe the uvula or grape-like bacterial clusters.