Which term means the back of the head or skull?

• A. poster/o
• B. cry/o
• C. dors/o
• D. thromb/o

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is the combining form that means back, specifically the back surface of the body. In anatomy, the back or posterior aspect of the head is described using the root that denotes the dorsal or back side. Dors/o fits that use precisely, giving terms that refer to the back of the body, including the back of the head or skull (the dorsal surface). That makes dors/o the best fit for “the back of the head or skull.”

The other roots don’t align with this idea: cry/o means cold, thromb/o means clot, which are unrelated to orientation or the back side of the body. Poster/o does mean back as well, but in this context dors/o is the standard root used to describe the back/dorsal aspect of the head.