Questions and Answers
Which suffix means "surgical removal"?
What is the meaning of the suffix '-penia'?
Which of the following suffixes indicates a 'process of recording'?
What is the meaning of the suffix '-rrhagia'?
Signup and view all the answers
A medical term ending in '-algia' would describe what?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the meaning of the suffix '-plasia'?
Signup and view all the answers
Which suffix means 'tumor'?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the meaning of the suffix '-cide'?
Signup and view all the answers
What suffix would you expect in a term describing an 'abnormal state'?
Signup and view all the answers
Which suffix indicates a 'specialist who studies' a specific field?
Signup and view all the answers
When describing a 'visual examination', which suffix is most appropriate?
Signup and view all the answers
In what medical context would you use the suffix '-ectomy'?
Signup and view all the answers
Which suffix implies an enlargement of an organ or body part?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the suffix '-cyte' refer to?
Signup and view all the answers
Which suffix would signify a 'lack of' something?
Signup and view all the answers
If a condition is described as 'pertaining to blood', which suffix would be appropriate?
Signup and view all the answers
Which suffix suggests a surgical fixation or suspension?
Signup and view all the answers
Which suffix would be associated with 'a sudden and involuntary contraction'?
Signup and view all the answers
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)
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
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.
