MED TERM: Suffixes

-a

noun ending

-ac

pertaining to

-acusis

hearing

-ad

toward

-al

pertaining to

-algesia

sensitivity to pain

-algia

pain; suffering

-an

characteristic of

-ar

pertaining to

-arche

beginning

Think of “menarche”

The beginning of your first menstruation 🩸

-ary

pertaining to

-asthenia

loss of strength

Think of “myasthenia”

-ate

something that

-blast

embryonic stage of development

-capnia

condition of carbon dioxide content in the blood

-cardia

heart condition

-cele

swelling; herniation

-centesis

surgical procedure

-cide

to kill; to destroy

-clasis

crushing; breaking up

-clast, -clastic

to break

-crine

secrete

-cyesis

pregnancy

-cyte

cell

-derma

skin

-desis

binding or surgical fusion

-dipsia

thirst

-dynia

pain

-eal

pertaining to

-ectasis

stretching or dilation

-ectomy

surgical removal

-edema

swelling

-emesis

to vomit

-emia

blood

-esis

condition of

-esthesia

sensation or feeling

-gen/ -genesis/ -genic

producing; forming

-globin

containing protein

-gram

record; picture

-graph

instrument used to record

-graphy

writing; record

-gravida

pregnancy

-ia

condition, noun ending

-iasis

presence of abnormal conditioning

-iatry

medical treatment, medical profession

-ic/ -ical

pertaining to

-ician

specialist in a field of study

-ile

pertaining to, capable

-ion

action; process

-is

noun ending

-ism

condition, theory

-ist

practitioner

-itis

inflammation

-kinesis, -kinesia

movement

-lepsy

seizure, attack

-lith

stone, calculus

-lithiasis

presence or formation of stones

-logist

one who specializes

-logy

the study of

-lysis

destruction, detachment

-lytic

destruction

-malacia

softening

-mania

a mental disorder; madness