Which combining form means relation to the palate?

• A. Palat/o
• B. Somat/o
• C. Oste/o
• D. Encephal/o

Answer: (A)

Palat/o is the combining form that means relation to the palate—the roof of the mouth. It shows up in terms like palatal (pertaining to the palate) and palatoplasty (surgical repair of the palate), so it directly conveys a connection to the palate. The other forms—somat/o means body, as in somatic; oste/o means bone, as in osteoarthritis; and encephal/o means brain, as in encephalitis—point to different anatomical areas and do not indicate anything about the palate.