Medical Terminology Suffixes

-ac

pertaining to

-ad

toward

-al

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-ase

enzyme

-capnia

carbon dioxide

-cele

hemia

-centesis

surgical procedure

-cidal

killing

-clysis

irrigation or washing out

-crine

secrete

-cyte

cell

-dynia

pain

-eal

pertaining to

-ectasia

stretching or dilation

-ectasis

stretching or dilation

-ectomy

excision (removal)

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

blood

-enia

decreased or dficient

-er

one who

-genic or -genous

origin (beginning)

-gensis

origin (beginning)

-gram

a record

-graph

instrument that records

-graphy

process of recording

-ia

condition

-iasis

condition

-iatric

medicine

-iatry

medicine

-ic

pertaining to

-itis

inflammation

-ist

one who

-iurn

membrane

-lepsy

seizure

-lith

stone

-logist

one who studies or a specialist

-logy

the study or science of

-lysin

substance that dissolves or destroys

-lysis

destruction or dissolving

-lytic

capable of dissolving

-malacia

softness

-mania

excessive preoccupation

-megaly

enlargement

-meter

instrument used to measure

-metry

process of measuring

-oid

resembling

-ole

little or small

-oma

tumor or swelling

-opia

vision

-ous

pertaining to (or characterized by)

-ose

sugar

-osis

condition, disease, or abnormal increase

-pathy

disease

-pepsia

digestion

-plasia

formation or development

-plasty

surgical repair

-plegia

paralysis

-phobia

abnormal fear

-pnea

breathing

-pod

foot

-poiesis

production

-ptysis

spitting

-rrhea

flow or discharge

-scope

instrument used to view or examine

-scopy

viewing

-spasm

cramp or twitching

-stasis

stopping or controlling

-stenosis

stricture or narrowing

-stomy

artificial opening

-tome

cutting (incision of)

-y

state (or condition)