Scientific/Medical Terminology - Module 2 Suffixes

-al

a Latin-derived adjectival suffix: pertaining to, located in

-ase

forms names of enzymes

-asia, -asis (rare)

form abstract nouns: state, condition

-ema

forms abstract nouns: state, condition. The combining form of nouns ending in -ema is -emat-

-esis

forms abstract nouns: state, condition, procedure

-etic

forms adjectives, often from nouns ending in -esis: pertaining to

-ics, -tics

forms nouns indicating a particular science or study: science or study of

-ism

forms abstract nouns: state, condition, quality

-ismus

forms abstract nouns: state, condition; muscular spasm

-oid, (rarely) -ode, -id

form both nouns and adjectives indicating a particular shape, form, or resemblance: like, resembling

-oma

forms abstract nouns: usually tumor; occasionally disease. The combining form of nouns ending in - oma is - omat -; the plural often is - omata.

-ose

a Latin-derived adjectival suffix; also used to form names of chemical substances: full of, resembling

-ous

a Latin-derived adjectival suffix: pertaining to, characterized by, full of

-us

a Latin noun-forming ending: condition, person (sometimes a malformed fetus)

-ize

a commonly used Greek-derived suffix that means "to make, become, cause to be, subject to, engage in"

coli-, cysti-, cholecyst-

>words beginning with or containing coli- usually refer to the colon bacillus, escherichia coli

>words containing cyst(i)- usually refer to the urinary bladder

>words containing cholecyst- refer to the gallbladder