Which prefix means to suppress or restrain?

• A. Blast/o
• B. Isch/o
• C. Xer/o
• D. Diverticul/o

Answer: (B)

The prefix isch/o conveys suppression or restraint. In medical terms, isch/o appears in ischemia, where blood flow is held back or restricted, which matches the idea of suppressing or restraining. The other prefixes don’t carry that meaning: blast/o refers to a germ cell or bud, xer/o means dry, and diverticul/o relates to a diverticulum (a pouch). So isch/o is the one that directly expresses the concept of suppressing or restraining.