Which prefix means 'name, word'?

• A. METER, METR
• B. DERM, DERMATO
• C. NOM, NEM
• D. ONYM, ONOMATO

Answer: (D)

Think of a name embedded in a word. The combining form onym comes from Greek onoma meaning name, and you see it in many terms that talk about names or kinds of words—pseudonym (a fake name), homonym (a word that shares the same name or sound with another), and so on. Relatedly, onomat- comes from the same idea and shows up in onomatopoeia, which is literally about naming or forming a word to imitate a sound. Because these forms directly convey the idea of a name or a word, they’re the best fit for meaning “name, word.” The other roots point to different things—meter for measure, derm for skin, or a Latin root for name—so they don’t align as precisely with that meaning.