Medical Terminology – Common Suffixes

Vocabulary flashcards covering common medical suffixes and their meanings.

-algia

Pain

-cele

Hernia or protrusion

-centesis

Puncture to withdraw fluid

-clasia

Surgical breaking or fracture

-desis

Surgical fixation or fusion

-dynia

Pain

-ectomy

Surgical removal; excision

-emesis

Vomiting

-emia

Blood condition

-gram

Record or picture

-iasis

Abnormal condition (often caused by something specific)

-ic

Pertaining to

-ism

State of; condition

-itis

Inflammation

-logist

Specialist in the study and treatment of

-logy

Study of

-lysis

Destruction; separation; breakdown

-malacia

Abnormal softening

-megaly

Enlargement

-oma

Tumor; mass

-opia

Vision condition

-osis

Abnormal condition

-pathy

Disease

-penia

Deficiency; lack

-plasty

Surgical repair

-plegia

Paralysis

-poiesis

Formation; production

-ptosis

Drooping; prolapse

-rrhaphy

Surgical suturing

-rrhea

Discharge; flow

-rrhexis

Rupture

-sarcoma

Malignant tumor of connective tissue

-sclerosis

Hardening

-scope

Instrument for viewing

-scopy

Process of visually examining

-spasm

Involuntary contraction; twitching

-stenosis

Narrowing

-stomy

Creation of an artificial opening