Medical Suffixes Quiz

Medical Suffixes

• -algia: Pain (e.g., neuralgia, nerve pain)
• -dynia: Pain (e.g., sternodynia, sternum pain)
• -cide/-cidal: Destroying/killing (e.g., suicidal, likely to kill oneself; bactericidal)
• -crine: Secreting (e.g., endocrine, gland that secretes hormones into the bloodstream)
• -ectomy: Removal of (e.g., appendectomy, removal of the appendix)
• -tomy: Incision (e.g., craniotomy, incision into skull)
• -edema: Swelling (e.g., lymphedema, swelling as a result of obstructed lymph nodes)
• -emesis: Vomiting (e.g., hematemesis, vomiting blood)
• -emia: Blood (e.g., anemia, deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin)
• -emic: Related to blood (e.g., uremic, having excessive urea in blood)

More Medical Suffixes

• -genesis: Production of (e.g., pathogenesis, production or development of a disease)
• -gram: A recording or data (e.g., electrocardiogram (ECG), heart scan)
• -gen: Producing substance (e.g., carcinogen, cancer-causing agent)
• -megaly: Enlargement (e.g., hepatomegaly, enlargement of liver)
• -oma: Tumor, neoplasm (e.g., myoma, neoplasm of muscle tissue)
• -oxia: Oxygen (e.g., anoxia, lack of oxygen)

Additional Suffixes

• -penia: Deficiency (e.g., leukopenia, deficiency in white blood cells)
• -pepsia: Digestion (e.g., dyspepsia, impaired digestion)
• -phoria: Feeling (e.g., euphoria, feeling of well-being)
• -plegia: Paralysis (e.g., quadriplegia, paralysis of all four limbs)
• -rrhea: Flow, discharge (e.g., menorrhea, flow of menstruation)
• -rrhage: Discharge heavily (e.g., hemorrhage, heavy bleeding)
• -porosis: Lessening in density (e.g., osteoporosis, lessening or decrease of bone density)
• -spasm: Contraction/constriction (e.g., bronchospasm, spasm in the bronchi)

Body System Suffixes

• -derma/-dermis: Skin (e.g., epidermis, over or upon the skin)
• -uria: Urine (e.g., polyuria, excessive urination)
• -pathy: Disease (e.g., osteopathy, bone disease)