Untitled Quiz

Questions and Answers

What does the suffix 'al' mean?

pertaining to

What does the suffix 'algia' refer to?

pain

What does the suffix 'ary' mean?

pertaining to

What does the suffix 'blast' signify?

embryonic, immature Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'centesis' mean?

surgical puncture to remove fluid Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'cele' refer to?

hernia Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'cyte' mean?

cell Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'coccus' or 'cocci' refer to?

berry shaped bacterium Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'crine' mean?

to secrete Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'drome' signify?

to run Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'dynia' refer to?

pain Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'eal' mean?

pertaining to Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ectomy' signify?

excision, removal Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'emia' refer to?

blood condition Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'er' mean?

one who Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'fusion' signify?

coming together; to pour Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'gen' mean?

substance that produces Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'genesis' refer to?

condition of producing, forming Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'genic' mean?

pertaining to producing, produced by or in Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'gram' signify?

record Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'graph' refer to?

instrument of recording Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'graphy' mean?

process of recording Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ia' signify?

condition Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'iac' mean?

pertaining to Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ic' or 'ical' refer to?

pertaining to Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ior' mean?

pertaining to Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ism' signify?

process, condition Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ist' refer to?

specialist Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'itis' mean?

inflammation Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'lapse' signify?

to fall, slide, sag Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'logy' mean?

study of Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'lysis' refer to?

destruction, breakdown, separation Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'malacia' mean?

softening Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'megaly' signify?

enlargement Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'meter' mean?

to measure Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'mission' refer to?

to send Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'oid' signify?

resembling, derived from Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ole' mean?

little, small Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'oma' refer to?

tumor, mass, swelling Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'or' mean?

one who Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ose' signify?

pertaining to, full of Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'osis' refer to?

condition, usually abnormal Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ous' mean?

pertaining to Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'opsy' signify?

to view Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'oxia' mean?

oxygen Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'partum' signify?

birth, labor Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'pathy' refer to?

disease condition Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'penia' mean?

deficiency Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'phobia' signify?

fear Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'phoria' mean?

to bear, carry, feeling (mental state) Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'physis' signify?

to grow Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'plasia' mean?

development, formation, growth Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'plasm' signify?

formation Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'plasty' refer to?

surgical repair Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'pnea' mean?

breathing Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ptosis' signify?

drooping, falling, prolapse Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'rrhea' refer to?

flow, discharge Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'sclerosis' mean?

hardening Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'somes' refer to?

bodies Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'stasis' signify?

controlling, stopping Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'stomy' mean?

opening to form a mouth (stoma) Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'tomy' signify?

process of cutting, incision Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'trophy' refer to?

development, nourishment Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'type' mean?

classification Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ule' signify?

little, small Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'um' or 'ium' refer to?

structure, tissue Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'us' mean?

structure, substance Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'y' signify?

condition, process Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ase' refer to?

enzyme Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'chezia' mean?

defecation, elimination of wastes Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'iasis' signify?

abnormal condition Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'prandial' refer to?

meal Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ectasis' mean?

dilation Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ectasia' signify?

(dilatation), widening Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'emesis' mean?

vomiting Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'pepsia' signify?

digestion Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'phagia' mean?

eating, swallowing Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'ptysis' signify?

spitting Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'rrhage' or 'rrhagia' mean?

bursting forth Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'rrhaphy' signify?

suture Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'spasm' mean?

involuntary contraction of muscles Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'tresia' signify?

opening Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'apheresis' mean?

removal, a carrying away Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'cytosis' signify?

abnormal condition of cells (increase in cells) Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'globin' or 'globulin' mean?

protein Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'lytic' signify?

pertaining to destruction Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'phage' mean?

eat, swallow Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'philia' refer to?

attraction for (an increase in cell numbers) Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'phoresis' mean?

carrying, transmission Signup and view all the answers

What does the suffix 'poiesis' signify?

formation Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Suffixes in Medical Terminology

Suffixes are essential components of medical words, providing critical information about various conditions, processes, and anatomical relationships.

Common Suffixes and Their Meanings

-algia: Refers to pain (e.g., neuralgia).
-ary & -al: Indicate "pertaining to" (e.g., pulmonary, coronary).
-blast: Denotes embryonic or immature cells (e.g., osteoblast).
-centesis: Surgical puncture to remove fluid (e.g., amniocentesis).
-cele: Signifies a hernia (e.g., cystocele).
-cyte: Represents a cell (e.g., erythrocyte).
-coccus/cocci: Indicates berry-shaped bacteria (e.g., streptococcus).
-crine: Means to secrete (e.g., endocrine).
-drome: Implies to run (e.g., syndrome).
-dynia: Another term for pain (e.g., gastrodynia).
-ectomy: Refers to excision or removal of a part (e.g., appendectomy).
-emia: Indicates a blood condition (e.g., anemia).
-gen: Refers to substances that produce (e.g., carcinogen).
-genic: Pertains to something produced by or in (e.g., pathogenic).
-graph: Instrument for recording (e.g., electrocardiograph).
-graphy: Process of recording (e.g., radiography).
-ia: Indicates a condition (e.g., pneumonia).
-itis: Refers to inflammation (e.g., arthritis).
-lysis: Denotes destruction or breakdown (e.g., hemolysis).
-megaly: Signifies enlargement (e.g., splenomegaly).
-osis: Usually indicates an abnormal condition (e.g., fibrosis).
-plasty: Surgical repair or reconstruction (e.g., rhinoplasty).
-sclerosis: Refers to hardening (e.g., arteriosclerosis).
-trophy: Indicates development or nourishment (e.g., hypertrophy).
-uria: Refers to a condition relating to urine (e.g., hematuria).

Specific Conditions and Processes

-phobia: Describes an abnormal fear (e.g., arachnophobia).
-ptosis: Refers to drooping or falling (e.g., blepharoptosis).
-rrhage/rrhagia: Indicates bursting forth, typically of blood (e.g., hemorrhage).
-stomy: Refers to an opening to form a mouth (e.g., colostomy).
-tomy: Implies the process of cutting or incision (e.g., laparotomy).
-phagia: Means eating or swallowing (e.g., dysphagia).
-phoresis: Denotes carrying or transmission (e.g., iontophoresis).
-plegia: Refers to paralysis (e.g., hemiplegia).
-rrhea: Signifies flow or discharge (e.g., diarrhea).

Additional Suffix Meanings

-pathy: Indicates a disease condition (e.g., neuropathy).
-penia: Refers to deficiency (e.g., leukopenia).
-osia: Indicates condition, usually abnormal (e.g., endocarditis).
-oma: Refers to a tumor or mass (e.g., melanoma).
-pnea: Relates to breathing (e.g., apnea).
-soma: Denotes bodies or structures (e.g., ribosome).

Understanding these suffixes aids in deciphering medical terminology, contributing significantly to effective communication in healthcare settings.

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