Medical Terminology: Chapter 2 Suffixes

Comprehensive vocabulary list of surgical, diagnostic, pathological, grammatical, and diminutive suffixes based on Chapter 2 of Medical Terminology Systems.

Suffix

A word element placed at the end of a word that changes the meaning of a medical word and is used to denote singular and plural forms or parts of speech.

Surgical Suffixes

Suffixes that describe a type of invasive procedure performed on a body part.

Diagnostic Suffixes

Suffixes that denote a procedure or test performed to identify the cause and nature of an illness.

Pathological Suffixes

Suffixes that describe an abnormal condition or a disease.

Grammatical Suffixes

Suffixes attached to word roots to form parts of speech, such as adjectives and nouns.

Diminutive Suffixes

Suffixes that denote a smaller version of a word, meaning small or minute.

Linking Rule: Vowel Suffix

A word root (WR) links a suffix that begins with a vowel (e.g., gastr/itis).

Linking Rule: Consonant Suffix

A combining form (CF) links a suffix that begins with a consonant (e.g., gastr/o/scopy).

-ectomy

excision, removal

-centesis

surgical puncture

-tripsy

crushing

-lysis

separation; destruction; loosening

-clasis

to break; surgical fracture

-pexy

fixation (of an organ)

-rrhaphy

suture

-plasty

surgical repair

-stomy

forming an opening (mouth)

-desis

binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)

-tome

instrument to cut

-tomy

incision

-scope

instrument for examining

-scopy

visual examination

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-meter

instrument for measuring

-metry

act of measuring

-gram

record, writing

-algia, -dynia

pain

-plasia, -plasm

formation, growth

-gen, -genesis

forming, producing, origin

-rrhage, -rrhagia

bursting forth (of)

-edema

swelling

-cele

hernia, swelling

-lith

stone, calculus

-osis

abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells)

-spasm

involuntary contraction, twitching

-stenosis

narrowing, stricture

-rrhea

discharge, flow

-pathy

disease

-itis

inflammation

-oma

tumor

-rrhexis

rupture

-plegia

paralysis

-ectasis

dilation, expansion

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

blood condition

-iasis

abnormal condition (produced by something specified)

-malacia

softening

Adjective Suffixes (-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -ic, -ile, -ous)

pertaining to

Noun Suffixes (-esis, -ia, -ism)

condition

Noun Suffixes (-ician, -ist)

specialist

-iatry

medicine; treatment

Diminutive Suffixes (-icle, -ole, -ule)

small, minute

-is (Plural Rule)

Changes to -es (e.g., diagnosis to diagnoses)

-us (Plural Rule)

Changes to -i (e.g., thrombus to thrombi)

-um (Plural Rule)

Changes to -a (e.g., ovum to ova)

-y (Plural Rule)

Changes to -ies (e.g., deformity to deformities)