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Exercise Six
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The term leukopenia is composed of the root leuko and the suffix -penia. The meaning of the word is:

  A large quantity of white blood cells
  B deficiency of white blood cells
  C large quantity of red blood cells
  D deficiency of red blood cells
   

 

Answer:

B: deficiency of white blood cells.

The word root leuk- means white and the suffix -penia means an abnormal reduction in number or a "lack." Thus, by interence, you define -penia as a deficient or decreased state or condition. Leukopenia means deficiency of white blood cells. Similarly the term cytopenia refers to deficiency in the cellular elements of the blood.

 
 

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