Medical Terminology - Suffixes

ac, -ic, -al, -ous, -tic

related to or pertaining to

-ate, -ize

subject to or use

cidal/cide

kill or destroy

-ectomy

cutting out or surgical removal

-emesis

vomiting

-esis, -ia, -osis, -sis

state or condition of

-genic

produced by

-gram

written record

-graph

instrument used to record

-graphy

process of recording

-ism

condition

-itis

inflammation

-lysis

destruction, breakdown or separation

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement

-meter

instrument used to measure

-ologist

one who studies, a specialist

-ology

the study of

-oma

tumor, swelling

-opsy

to view

-ostomy/stomy

artificial surgical opening

-otomy

process of incision or cutting into

-pathy

disease or abnormality

-phobia

morbid fear of or intolerance

-plasty

surgical reconstruction

-plegia

paralysis

-rrhea

flow or discharge

-sclerosis

hardening