Med Term Suffixes

-a

noun ending, no meaning

-ac

pertaining to

-ad

toward

-algia

pain

-amnios

amnion, amniotic fluid

-apheresis

removal

-ar

pertaining to

-ary

pertaining to

-asthenia

weakness

-carcinoma

cancerous tumor

-cele

hernia, tumor, swelling

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid

-crine

to secrete

-cyesis

pregnancy

-cyte

cell

-desis

surgical fixation, fusion

-drome

run, running

-e

noun ending, no meaning

-eal

pertaining to

-ectasis

stretching out, dilation

-ectomy

excision, removal

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

in the blood

-esis

condition

-gen

substance or agent that produces or causes

-genis

producing, originating, causing

-gram

record, radiographic image

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording, radiographic imaging

-ia

condition of diseased state, abnormal state

-iasis

condition

-iatrist

specialist

-iatry

treatment, specialty

-ic

pertaining to

-ictal

seizure, attack

-ior

pertaining to

-ism

state of

-itis

inflammation

-logist

specialist who studies and treats

-logy

study of

-lysis

separation; destruction; loosening

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement

-meter

instrument for measuring

-metry

measuring, process of measuring

-oid

resembling

-oma

tumor, swelling

-opia

vision

-opsy

viewing, process of viewing

-osis

abnormal condition, increased number (blood)

-ous

pertaining to

-paresis

slight paralysis

-pathy

disease

-penia

abnormal reduction in number

-pepsia

digestion

-pexy

surgical fixation, suspension

-phagia

swallowing, eating

-phobia

aversion, abnormal fear

-physis

growth

-plasia

formation, development, growth

-plasm

growth, substance, formation

-plasty

surgical repair

-plegia

paralysis

-pnea

breathing

-poiesis

formation

-ptosis

prolapse, drooping

-rrhage

excessive bleeding

-rrhagia

condition of excessive bleeding

-rrhaphy

repairing, suturing

-rrhea

discharge, flow

-rrhexis

rupture

-salpinx

fallopian tube, uterine tube

-sarcoma

malignant tumor

-schisis

split, fissure

-sclerosis

hardening

-scope

instrument used for visual examination

-scopic

pertaining to visual examination

-scopy

process of visually examining

-spasm

sudden involuntary contraction of muscle

-stasis

stop, control, standing

-stenosis

constriction, narrowing

-stomy

creation of artificial opening

-thorax

chest cavity

-tocia

labor, birth

-tome

instrument used to cut

-tomy

incision, cut into

-tripsy

surgical crushing

-trophy

nourishment, development

-um

no meaning

-uria

urine, urination

-us

no meaning