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Questions and Answers
Which suffix means "surgical removal"?
Which suffix means "surgical removal"?
What is the meaning of the suffix '-penia'?
What is the meaning of the suffix '-penia'?
Which of the following suffixes indicates a 'process of recording'?
Which of the following suffixes indicates a 'process of recording'?
What is the meaning of the suffix '-rrhagia'?
What is the meaning of the suffix '-rrhagia'?
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A medical term ending in '-algia' would describe what?
A medical term ending in '-algia' would describe what?
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What is the meaning of the suffix '-plasia'?
What is the meaning of the suffix '-plasia'?
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Which suffix means 'tumor'?
Which suffix means 'tumor'?
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What is the meaning of the suffix '-cide'?
What is the meaning of the suffix '-cide'?
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What suffix would you expect in a term describing an 'abnormal state'?
What suffix would you expect in a term describing an 'abnormal state'?
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Which suffix indicates a 'specialist who studies' a specific field?
Which suffix indicates a 'specialist who studies' a specific field?
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When describing a 'visual examination', which suffix is most appropriate?
When describing a 'visual examination', which suffix is most appropriate?
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In what medical context would you use the suffix '-ectomy'?
In what medical context would you use the suffix '-ectomy'?
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Which suffix implies an enlargement of an organ or body part?
Which suffix implies an enlargement of an organ or body part?
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What does the suffix '-cyte' refer to?
What does the suffix '-cyte' refer to?
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Which suffix would signify a 'lack of' something?
Which suffix would signify a 'lack of' something?
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If a condition is described as 'pertaining to blood', which suffix would be appropriate?
If a condition is described as 'pertaining to blood', which suffix would be appropriate?
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Which suffix suggests a surgical fixation or suspension?
Which suffix suggests a surgical fixation or suspension?
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Which suffix would be associated with 'a sudden and involuntary contraction'?
Which suffix would be associated with 'a sudden and involuntary contraction'?
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Study Notes
Suffixes in Medical Terms
- Suffixes are at the end of a word and add meaning to the root word.
- When building a definition of a medical term, start with the meaning of the suffix.
Types of Suffixes
- Suffixes can indicate procedures (e.g., -scopy means "visual examination").
- Suffixes can indicate conditions (e.g., -itis means "inflammation").
- Suffixes can indicate diseases (e.g., -oma means "tumor").
Common Suffixes
- -ac: Pertaining to
- -ad: Toward
- -al: Pertaining to
- -algia, -dynia: Pain
- -ar: Pertaining to
- -ary: Pertaining to
- -cele: Protrusion
- -centesis: Surgical withdrawal of fluid
- -cide, -cidal: Kill, destroy
- -coccus: Berry shaped
- -cyte: Cell
- -eal: Pertaining to
- -ectomy: Surgical removal
- -emia: Pertaining to blood
- -esis: Condition
- -gen: Substance that produces/causes
- -genic: Produced by
- -gram: Record of
- -graph: Instrument used to record
- -graphy: A process of recording
- -ia: Condition of, diseased state, abnormal state
- -ic, -ior: Pertaining to
- -ism: State of, condition, theory
- -itis: Inflammation
- -logist: Specialist who studies and treats disorders
- -logy: Study of
- -lysis: Destruction, breakdown
- -megaly: Enlargement
- -meter: Instrument used to measure
- -metry: Process of measuring
- -oid: Resembling
- -oma: Tumor
- -opia: Vision condition
- -opsy: To view
- -osis: Abnormal condition
- -ous: Pertaining to
- -pathy: Disease, abnormality
- -penia: Lack of, deficiency
- -pexy: Surgical fixation, suspension
- -phagia: Eating
- -phobia: Intense fear of
- -plasia: Formation, development
- -plasm: Growth, substance, formation
- -plasty: Surgical reconstruction
- -plegia: Paralysis
- -pnea: Breathing
- -poiesis, -poietic: Production, manufacture of
- -ptosis: Drooping
- -rrhage: Excessive flow
- -rrhagia: Excessive flow
- -rrhaphy: Suturing in place, fixation
- -rrhea: Flow, discharge
- -rrhexis: Rupture or breaking away
- -sclerosis: Hardening
- -scope: Instrument used to visually examine
- -scopic: Visual examination
- -scopy: Process of visual examination
- -spasm: Sudden, involuntary
- -stasis: To stop
- -stomy: Artificial surgical opening
- -tome: Instrument used to cut
- -tomy: Process of incision, cutting into
- -tripsy: Crushing
- -trophic, -trophy: Growth, development
Examples of Common Suffixes in Medical Terms
- Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders (-phobia: intense fear of)
- Amniocentesis: Procedure to withdraw fluid from the amniotic sac (-centesis: surgical withdrawal of fluid)
- Anemia: Low levels of hemoglobin in the blood (-emia: pertaining to blood)
- Cardiomegaly: Enlargement of the heart (-megaly: enlargement)
- Colonoscopy: Procedure that visually examines the colon (-scopy: process of visual examination)
- Dyspnea: Difficulty breathing (-pnea: breathing)
- Hemiplegia: Paralysis of one side of the body (-plegia: paralysis)
- Mammography: Radiological process of examining the breast tissue (-graphy: process of recording)
Suffixes in Medical Terms
- Suffixes are at the end of a word and add meaning to the root word.
- When building a definition of a medical term, start with the meaning of the suffix.
Types of Suffixes
- Suffixes can indicate procedures (e.g., -scopy means "visual examination").
- Suffixes can indicate conditions (e.g., -itis means "inflammation").
- Suffixes can indicate diseases (e.g., -oma means "tumor").
Common Suffixes
- -ac: Pertaining to
- -ad: Toward
- -al: Pertaining to
- -algia, -dynia: Pain
- -ar: Pertaining to
- -ary: Pertaining to
- -cele: Protrusion
- -centesis: Surgical withdrawal of fluid
- -cide, -cidal: Kill, destroy
- -coccus: Berry shaped
- -cyte: Cell
- -eal: Pertaining to
- -ectomy: Surgical removal
- -emia: Pertaining to blood
- -esis: Condition
- -gen: Substance that produces/causes
- -genic: Produced by
- -gram: Record of
- -graph: Instrument used to record
- -graphy: A process of recording
- -ia: Condition of, diseased state, abnormal state
- -ic, -ior: Pertaining to
- -ism: State of, condition, theory
- -itis: Inflammation
- -logist: Specialist who studies and treats disorders
- -logy: Study of
- -lysis: Destruction, breakdown
- -megaly: Enlargement
- -meter: Instrument used to measure
- -metry: Process of measuring
- -oid: Resembling
- -oma: Tumor
- -opia: Vision condition
- -opsy: To view
- -osis: Abnormal condition
- -ous: Pertaining to
- -pathy: Disease, abnormality
- -penia: Lack of, deficiency
- -pexy: Surgical fixation, suspension
- -phagia: Eating
- -phobia: Intense fear of
- -plasia: Formation, development
- -plasm: Growth, substance, formation
- -plasty: Surgical reconstruction
- -plegia: Paralysis
- -pnea: Breathing
- -poiesis, -poietic: Production, manufacture of
- -ptosis: Drooping
- -rrhage: Excessive flow
- -rrhagia: Excessive flow
- -rrhaphy: Suturing in place, fixation
- -rrhea: Flow, discharge
- -rrhexis: Rupture or breaking away
- -sclerosis: Hardening
- -scope: Instrument used to visually examine
- -scopic: Visual examination
- -scopy: Process of visual examination
- -spasm: Sudden, involuntary
- -stasis: To stop
- -stomy: Artificial surgical opening
- -tome: Instrument used to cut
- -tomy: Process of incision, cutting into
- -tripsy: Crushing
- -trophic, -trophy: Growth, development
Examples of Common Suffixes in Medical Terms
- Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders (-phobia: intense fear of)
- Amniocentesis: Procedure to withdraw fluid from the amniotic sac (-centesis: surgical withdrawal of fluid)
- Anemia: Low levels of hemoglobin in the blood (-emia: pertaining to blood)
- Cardiomegaly: Enlargement of the heart (-megaly: enlargement)
- Colonoscopy: Procedure that visually examines the colon (-scopy: process of visual examination)
- Dyspnea: Difficulty breathing (-pnea: breathing)
- Hemiplegia: Paralysis of one side of the body (-plegia: paralysis)
- Mammography: Radiological process of examining the breast tissue (-graphy: process of recording)
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Description
Learn about the meaning of common suffixes in medical terms, including those that indicate procedures, conditions, and diseases. Understand how to build definitions from components.
