Medical Terminologies | Table A-2 Common Suffixes

-algia

pertaining to pain

-asthen(o)

weakness

-blast

immature cell

-cele

pertaining to a tumor or swelling

-centesis

pertaining to a procedure in which an organ or body cavity is punctured, often to drain excess fluid or obtain a sample for analysis

-cyte

cell

-ectomy

surgical removal of

-emia

pertaining to the presence of a substance in the blood

-genic

causing

-gram

record

-graph

a record or the instrument used to create the record

-itis

inflammation

-lysis

decline, disintegration, or destruction

-megaly

enlargement of

-ology

science of

-oma

tumor

-osis

pertaining to a disease process (see also -sis)

-ostomy

surgical creation of an opening, or hole

-otomy

surgical incision

-pathy

disease or a system from treating disease

-phagia

pertaining to eating or swallowing

-phasia

pertaining to speech

-phobia

pertaining to an irrational fear

-plasty

plastic surgery

-plegia

paralysis

-pnea

pertaining to breathing

-ptosis

drooping

-rrhage

abnormal or excessive flow or discharge

-rrhagia

abnormal or excessive flow or discharge

-rrhaphy

suture of; repair of

-rrhea

flow or discharge

-scope

instrument for examination

-scopy

examination with an instrument

-sis

a process, action, or condition

-taxis

order, arrangement of

-trophic

pertaining to nutrition

-uria

pertaining to a substance in the urine or the condition so indicated