Medical Suffixes

-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -ic, -ous

pertaining to

-algia, -dynia

pain

-asthenia

weakness

-cele

hernia, tumor, swelling

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid

-cide

killing

-crine

to secrete

-desis

surgical binding or fusion

-ectasis

dilation, expansion

-ectomy

surgical removal, excision

-edema

swelling

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

blood condition

-esthesia

sensation, feeling

-genesis, -genic

origin, producing

-gram

record, picture

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-iasis

abnormal condition

-ist

specialist

-itis

inflammation

-lith

stone, calculus

-logy

study of

-lysis

breakdown, destruction, separation

-malacia

abnormal softening

-megaly

enlargement

-meter

instrument used to measure

-metry

process of measuring

-oid

resembling, like

-ologist

specialist who studies

-oma

tumor, mass

-opia

vision condition

-opsy

to view

-osis

abnormal condition, disease

-ostomy

creation of an artificial opening

-otomy

cutting into, surgical incision

-pathy

disease process

-penia

deficiency, decrease

-pepsia

digestion

-pexy

surgical fixation

-phagia

eating, swallowing

-phasia

speech

-phobia

abnormal fear

-plasia

formation, development, growth

-plasty

surgical repair

-plegia

paralysis

-pnea

breathing

-ptosis

drooping, prolapse

-rrhage, -rrhagia

excessive flow or bleeding

-rrhaphy

surgical suturing

-rrhea

flow, discharge

-rrhexis

rupture, bursting

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

-scope

instrument used for visual examination

-scopy

visual examination

-spasm

involuntary contraction

-stasis

stopping, controlling

-stenosis

abnormal narrowing

-therapy

treatment

-tomy

incision, cutting into

-tripsy

surgical crushing

-trophy

nourishment, development

-uria

urination, urine condition