Which combining form means pertaining to hearing?

• A. Audi/o
• B. Acou/o
• C. Cardi/o
• D. Coron/o

Answer: (A)

Understanding hearing-related terms comes from recognizing the combining form audi/o-, which comes from the Latin audire meaning to hear. This form is used to build words about hearing, such as audiology (the study of hearing) and the concept of auditory functions. Because the question asks for a term specifically tied to hearing, audi/o- is the best fit. In contrast, cardi/o refers to the heart, and coron/o relates to the heart’s crown or the coronary region. A Greek-root form like acous/o also touches on sound and hearing, but the standard medical combining form used to denote hearing is audi/o-, making it the correct choice here.