Medical Terminology Reference Guide: Suffixes

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards of common medical suffixes and their meanings derived from the Medical Terminology Reference Sheet.

-al

Pertaining to

-ac

pertaining to

-ar

pertaining to

-ary

pertaining to

-ic

pertaining to

-eal

pertaining to

-ous

pertaining to

-tous

pertaining to

-ical

pertaining to

-ory

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-dynia

pain

-cele

hernia

-centesis

surgical puncture

-cide

destroying, killing

-cidal

destroying , killing

-clast

breaking

-clasis

breaking

-cyte

cell

-derma

skin

-desis

Fusion, binding, fixation

-dipsia

thirst

-ectasis

dilation, expansion

-ectomy

excision, surgical removal

-edema

Swelling

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

A condition of the blood, blood

-esthesia

sensation

-gen

Creating, producing, origin or formation

-genesis

Creating, producing, origin or formation

-genic

Creating, producing, origin or formation

-gram

record

-graph

Recording instrument

-graphy

Process of recording

-gravida

Pregnant woman

-ia

condition

-ism

condition

-iasis

Pathological condition or state

-ist

specialist

-itis

inflammation

-kinesia

movement

-kinesis

movement

-lith

stone

-logist

Specialist in the study of

-logy

Study of

-lysis

Destruction of

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement

-meter

Instrument for measuring

-metry

measurement

-oid

Resembling, form or shape

-ole

small

-ule

small

-ology

study, science of

-oma

tumor

-opia

vision

-opsy

viewing

-osis

Abnormal condition

-oxia

oxygen

-paresis

Slight or partial paralysis

-pathy

Disease, suffering

-paus

Cessation, stopping

-stasis

cessation, stopping

-penia

Deficiency, lack of, decrease

-pepsia

digestion

-pexy

Surgical fixation

-phagia

Eating, swallowing

-phage

Eating, swallowing

-phasia

speech

-phobia

fear

-plasia

Formation, growth

-plasm

formation, growth

-plasty

Surgical repair, mold

-plegia

paralysis

-pnea

breathing

-ptosis

Dropping, prolapse

-rrhage

Bursting forth

-rrhagia

Bursting forth

--rrhaphy

Suture, suturing

-rrhea

Flow, discharge

-rrhexis

Rupture

-scope

Instrument used to view

-scopy

Visual examination; process of examining

-sis

State, condition of

-spasm

Involuntary spasm

-stasis

Control, constant level

-stenosis

Narrowing, stricture

--stomy

Creation of an opening

-therapy

Treatment

-tome

Cutting instrument

-tomy

Cutting into, incision

-tripsy

Crushing

-trophy

Nourishment or growth

-uria

urine