PREMATURE is associated with which prefix in the source material?

PREMATURE is associated with which prefix in the source material?

• A. PRIMI-
• B. MONO-
• C. UNI-
• D. BI-

Answer: (A)

Understanding prefixes that signal timing or order helps decode terms like premature. Premature means happening earlier than expected, before the usual time. The prefix prim(i)- comes from Latin primus meaning first or earliest, and it appears in medical terms to indicate an earlier or first occurrence, such as primipara (a woman bearing her first child) or primigravida (first pregnancy). This sense of "first/earlier" matches the idea of something happening before its normal time. The other prefixes—mono- and uni- meaning one, and bi- meaning two—do not convey timing or order, so they don’t fit with the concept of something being premature.

Understanding prefixes that signal timing or order helps decode terms like premature. Premature means happening earlier than expected, before the usual time. The prefix prim(i)- comes from Latin primus meaning first or earliest, and it appears in medical terms to indicate an earlier or first occurrence, such as primipara (a woman bearing her first child) or primigravida (first pregnancy). This sense of "first/earlier" matches the idea of something happening before its normal time. The other prefixes—mono- and uni- meaning one, and bi- meaning two—do not convey timing or order, so they don’t fit with the concept of something being premature.