Which combining form means pertaining to the body?

• A. Encephal/o
• B. Mast/o
• C. Bronch/o
• D. Somat/o

Answer: (D)

Somat/o is the combining form that means body. When you add the suffix -ic to form somatic, it means pertaining to the body. Encephal/o refers to the brain, mast/o to the breast, and bronch/o to the bronchus—each points to a specific body part rather than the body as a whole. So the combining form meaning pertaining to the body is somat/o.