What do suffixes tell us in medical terminology?
symptomatic, procedural, diagnostic
-algia
pain
-cele
hernia, protrusion (example: cystocele=protrusion of bladder)
-cise
cut (ex.: excise=to cut out)
-cyte
cell (ex: erythrocyte=red cell)
-dynia
pain (ex: cardiodynia=heart pain)
-ecstasis
dilation (ex: bronchiecstasis=dilated bronchi)
-gen
that which produces (ex: mutagen=that which produces a mutation)
-genesis
produces, generates (ex: osteogenesis=bone formation)
-genic
produces, produced by (ex: carcinogenic=producing cancer)
-ia
state, condition (ex: hemiplegia=condition of being half paralyzed)
-iasis
abnormal condition (ex: lithiasis=abnormal condition of stones)
-ism
state of (ex: hypothyroidism=state of low thyroid)
-itis
inflammation (ex: cellulitis=inflammation of cells)
-logist
one who studies (ex: cardiologist=one who studies the heart)
-logy
study of (ex: cardiology=study of the heart)
-lysis
destruction (ex: osteolysis=bone destruction)
-malacia
abnormal softening (ex: chondromalacia=abnormal softening of the cartilage)
-megaly
enlargement, large (ex: cardiomegaly=enlargement of the heart)
-oma
tumor, mass (ex: carcinoma=cancerous tumor)
-osis
abnormal condition (ex: cyanosis=abnormal condition of being blue)
-pathy
disease (ex: myopathy=muscle disease)
-plasia
development (ex: dysplasia=abnormal development)
-plasm
formation, development (ex: neoplasm=new development)
-ptosis
drooping (ex: proctopsis=drooping rectum)
-rrhage
excessive/abnormal flow (ex: hemorrhage=excessive bleeding)
-rrhea
discharge, flow (ex: rhinorrhea=discharge from the nose)
-rrhexis
rupture (ex: hysterorrhexis=ruptured uterus)
-sclerosis
hardening (ex: arteriosclerosis=hardening of the artery)
-stenosis
narrowing (ex: angiostenosis=narrowing of a vessel)
-therapy
treatment (ex: chemotherapy=treatment with chemicals)
-trophy
nourishment/development (ex: hypertrophy=excessive development)