Med Terms: Suffixes

-centesis

-centesis

surgical puncture

-clasis

to break; surgical fracture

-desis

binding, fixation (of a bone or joint)

-ectomy

excision, removal

-lysis

separation; destruction; loosening

-pexy

fixation (of an organ)

-plasty

surgical repair

-rrhaphy

suture

-stomy

artificial opening (product)

-tome

an instrument to cut

-tomy

creating an artificial opening (procedure)

-tripsy

crushing

-gram

record, writing

-graph

instrument for recording

-graphy

process of recording

-scope

instrument for visual examination

-scopy

procedure using a scope for visual examination

-algia, -dynia

pain

-cele

hernia, swelling

-ecstasis

dilation, expansion

-emesis

vomiting

-emia

blood condition

-gen, -genesis

forming, producing, origin

-itis

inflammation

-malacia

softening

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor

-osis

abnormal condition; increase (used primarily with blood cells)

-pathy

disease

-penia

decrease, deficieny

-phobia

fear

-plegia

paralysis

-ptosis

prolapse, downward displacement

-rrhea

discharge, flow

-rrhexis

rupture

-sclerosis

abnormal condition of hardening

-spasm

involuntary contraction, twitching

-stenosis

narrowing, stricture

-toxic

poison

-ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ic, -ior, -ous, -tic

pertaining to

-ia, -ism

condition

-iatry, -ist

medicine; treatment

-y

condition; process

-icle, -ole, -ule

small, minute

-clesis

to close

-meter

instrument for measuring

-metry

act of measuring

-edema

swelling

-iasis

abnormal condition

-lith

stone

-phagia

to eat, swallow

-phasia

speech

-plasia, -plasm

formation, growth

-phonia

voice

-rrhage, -rrhagia

bursting forth of liquid

-trophy

nourishment, development

-stasis

no movement, standing still