Which combining form means flesh?

• A. Sarc/o
• B. Lip/o
• C. Myc/o
• D. Aden/o

Answer: (A)

Flesh in medical terminology comes from the combining form sarc/o, which originates from the Greek word sarx for flesh. This form is used when talking about muscle tissue and related conditions, so you’ll see it in terms like sarcomere (the muscle’s structural unit), sarcoma (a flesh-tounding tumor), and sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass with aging). The other forms point to different tissues or substances: lip/o means fat, as in lipids or liposuction; myc/o means fungus, as in mycosis; and aden/o means gland, as in adenitis or adenoma. So the form meaning flesh is sarc/o.