Which one of the following choices contains the core meaning of the medical term?

The core meaning of a medical term is typically represented by the word root. A word root provides the fundamental meaning of the term and often indicates the part of the body involved in the context of medical terminology. For instance, in the term "cardiology," the word root "cardi-" refers to the heart, indicating that the study or specialty pertains to that organ.

In contrast, prefixes and suffixes modify the meaning of the word root but do not convey the primary meaning by themselves. A prefix can indicate location, time, number, or status, while a suffix often denotes a condition, disease, or procedure. Combining forms, which are created by adding a vowel to a word root (often "o"), serve as a bridge between word roots and other parts of medical terminology, but they also are not the core meaning.

Thus, the word root is essential as it anchors the term's definition, making it the correct answer in identifying the core meaning within medical terminology.