Common Suffixes in Medical Terminology

GlobalRPh Medical Terminology Section

Common Suffixes

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-a

(a is a noun ending)

cyanoderma (skin with a bluish discoloration)

Note: When a is used as a suffix, it is a noun ending; a can also be used as a prefix.

 

-ac

pertaining to cardiac (pertaining to the heart)

 

-ad

toward, increase

caudad (toward the tail or end of the body)

 

-al

pertaining to duodenal (pertaining to the duodenum)

 

-algesia

sensitivity to pain

analgesia (without sensitivity to pain)

 

-algia

pain

cephalalgia (pain in the head; a headache)

 

-ar

pertaining to ventricular (pertaining to the ventricle)

 

-ary

pertaining to; relating to pulmonary (pertaining to the lungs)

 

-ate

something that

hemolysate (something that results from hemolysis)

 

-blast

embryonic stage of development leukoblast (immature white blood cell)

 

-cele

swelling or herniation

cystocele (herniation or protrusion of the urinary bladder through the wall of the vagina)

 

-centesis

surgical puncture

amniocentesis (surgical puncture of the amniotic sac to remove fluid for laboratory analysis; an obstetrical procedure)

 

-cide

to kill; to destroy

spermicide (chemical substance that kills spermatozoa

 

-clasis

crushing or breaking up

osteoclasis (the intentional surgical fracture of a bone to correct a deformity)

 

-cyte

cell

leukocyte (white blood cell)

 

-desis

binding or surgical fusion

arthrodesis (fixation of a joint by a procedure designed to accomplish fusion of the joint surfaces)

 

–dynia

pain

cephalodynia (pain in the head; a headache)

 

-e

(e is a noun ending)

dermatome (instrument used to cut the skin; i.e., thin slices of skin for grafting)

 

-eal

pertaining to esophageal (pertaining to the esophagus)

 

-ectasia

stretching or dilatation gastrectasia (stretching or dilatation of the stomach)

 

-ectomy

surgical removal

appendectomy (surgical removal of the appendix)

 

-emia

blood condition

hyperglycemia (blood condition in which there is a higher than normal level of glucose in the blood; high blood sugar)

 

-er

one who

radiographer (one who takes and processes X-rays) –

 

esis

condition of

enuresis (condition of urinary incontinence)

 

-gen

that which generates

glycogen (“that which generates sugar”)

 

-genesis

generating; formation

lithogenesis (the formation of stones)

 

-genic

pertaining to, formation, producing

lithogenic (pertaining to the formation of stones)

 

-gram

record or picture

electrocardiogram (record of the electrical activity of the heart)

 

-graph

an instrument used to record

electrocardiograph (instrument used to record the electrical activity of the heart)

 

-graphy

process of recording

electrocardiography (the process of recording the electrical activity of the heart)

 

-gravida

pregnancy

multigravida (a woman who has been pregnant more than once; “many pregnancies”)

 

-ia

condition (ia is a noun ending)

paraplegia (condition of paralysis of the lower half of the body

 

-ian

specialist in a field of study

geriatrician (specialist in the field of study of the aging)

 

-iasis

presence of an abnormal condition

cholelithiasis (abnormal presence of gallstones in the gallbladder)

 

-iatric(s)

relating to medicine, physicians, or medical treatment

pediatrics (field of medicine that deals with children)

 

-iatrician

one who treats; a physician

pediatrician (physician who treats children)

 

-iatrist

one who treats; a physician

psychiatrist (specialist in the study, treatment, and prevention of mental illness)

 

-iatry

medical treatment, medical profession

psychiatry (field of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness)

 

-ic

pertaining to

thoracic (pertaining to the thorax)

 

-ical

pertaining to (-ical is the combination of ic al)

neurological (pertaining to the study of nerves)

 

-ician

specialist in a field of study

obstetrician (specialist in the field of study of pregnancy and childbirth)

 

-ile

pertaining to; capable

febrile (pertaining to fever)

 

-ion

action; process

conduction (process in which heat is transferred from one substance to another)

 

-ism

condition

hirsutism (condition of excessive body hair in a masculine distribution pattern)

 

ist

practitioner

pharmacist (practitioner who is licensed to prepare and dispense medications)

 

-itis

inflammation

appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix)

 

-ize

to make; to treat or combine with

anesthetize (to induce a state of anesthesia; to make one “feelingless”)

 

-lepsy

seizure, attack

narcolepsy (seizure or sudden attack of sleep)

 

-lith

stone

rhinolith (stone or calculus in the nose)

 

-lithiasis

presence or formation of stones

cholelithiasis (presence of gallstones)

 

-logy

the study of

biology (the study of living things)

 

-logist

one who specializes in the study of

biologist (one who specializes in the study of living things)

 

-lysis

destruction or detachment

dialysis (removal or detachment of certain elements from the blood or lymph by passing them through a semipermeable membrane)

 

-lytic

destruction

keratolytic (agent used to destroy hardened skin)

 

-mania

a mental disorder; a “madness”

megalomania (mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur: the patient believes he or she is someone of great importance)

 

-megaly

enlargement

cardiomegaly (enlargement of the heart)

 

-meter

an instrument used to measure

pelvimeter (instrument used to measure the diameter and capacity of the pelvis)

 

-metry

the process of measuring

pelvimetry (the process of measuring the dimensions of the pelvis)

 

-oid

Resembling

mucoid (resembling mucus)

 

-ole

small or little

arteriole (smallest branch of the arterial circulation; a “small” artery)

 

-oma

tumor

lipoma (fatty tumor) -opia visual condition myopia (a condition of near sightedness)

 

-opsia

visual condition

hemanopsia (blindness in one half of the visual field)

 

-opsy

process of viewing

biopsy (removal of a small piece of living tissue from an organ or part of the body for “viewing” under a microscope)

 

-ory

pertaining to; characterized by

auditory (pertaining to hearing)

 

-osis

condition

cyanosis (condition of blueness)

 

-ous

pertaining to

venous (pertaining to veins)

 

-pathy

disease

adenopathy (disease of a gland)

 

-penia

decrease in; deficiency

leukocytopenia (decrease in the number of white blood cells)

 

-pexy

surgical fixation

colpopexy (surgical fixation of a relaxed vaginal wall)

 

-philia

attracted to

necrophilia (abnormal attraction to dead bodies)

 

-phobia

abnormal fear

necrophobia (abnormal fear of death and dead bodies)

 

-plasia

formation or development

hyperplasia (excessive formation or development)

 

-plasty

surgical repair

rhinoplasty (surgical repair of the nose in which the structure of the nose is changed)

 

-plegia

paralysis

hemiplegia (paralysis of half of the body, of one side of the body)

 

-pnea

breathing

dyspnea (difficult breathing)

 

-ptosis

drooping or prolapse

colpoptosis (prolapse of the vagina)

 

-rrhagia

excessive flow or discharge

gastrorrhagia (bursting forth of blood from the stomach)

 

-rrhaphy

suturing

nephrorrhaphy (operation of suturing the kidney)

 

-rrhea

discharge; flow

rhinorrhea (flow or drainage from the nose)

 

-rrhexis

rupture

arteriorrhexis (rupture of an artery)

 

-scope

an instrument used to view

ophthalmoscope (instrument used to view the interior of the eye)

 

-scopy

the process of viewing with a scope

ophthalmoscopy (the process of using an ophthalmoscope to view the interior of the eye)

 

-stasis

stopping or controlling

hemostasis (stopping or controlling the flow of blood)

venostasis (the trapping or “standing still” of blood in an extremity)

 

-stomy

the surgical creation of a new opening

colostomy (surgical creation of a new opening between the colon and the surface of the body)

 

-tic

pertaining to

cyanotic (pertaining to blueness)

 

-tion

process of

relaxation (the process of reducing tension, as when a muscle relaxes after contraction)

 

-tomy

incision into

phlebotomy (incision into a vein)

 

-tripsy

intentional crushing

lithotripsy (the crushing of a stone in the bladder; may be accomplished by ultrasound or by laser)

 

-ula

small, little

macula (small pigmented spot that appears separate from the surrounding tissue)

 

-ule

“small one”

venule (smallest vein that collects blood from a capillary)

 

-um

a suffix that identifies singular nouns

duodenum (first part of the small intestines)

 

-uria

a characteristic of the urine

hematuria (presence of blood in the urine)

 

-us

a suffix that identifies singular nouns

coccus (singular bacterium)

 

-y

(y is a noun ending)

myopathy (abnormal condition of the muscles)

 

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