med term 2

Suffixes Overview

  • This overview covers 28 common suffixes or suffix groups used in medical terminology.

  • Suffixes can modify nouns, verbs, and adjectives, providing critical meanings in medical language.

Noun Suffixes

Common Noun Suffixes

  • a, I, an, os, is, us, ium

    • Used with nouns

    • Examples:

      • Derma: skin

      • Nephron: functional unit of the kidney

      • Cementum: layer outside the tooth

      • Glottis: voice box

Adjective Suffixes

Common Adjective Suffixes

  • al, tic, ick, eek, ois, us, ent

    • Added to nouns to form adjectives

    • Meaning: pertaining to or referring to

    • Examples:

      • Neoplastic: pertaining to new growth

      • Neural: pertaining to nerves

      • Cardiac: pertaining to the heart

      • Delirious: pertains to hallucinations

      • Recipient: one who receives

Additional Adjective Suffixes

  • an-, en, ion

    • Meaning: pertaining to, process of, or the procedure of

    • Example: Section (process of cutting).

  • ans, ansi

    • Meaning: the state or condition of.

    • Example: Pregnancy.

  • er, or

    • Meaning: one who does.

    • Examples: Doctor (one who teaches), Practitioner (one who practices).

Related Suffixes

Condition and Process Suffixes

  • gen, troph, plus

    • Meaning: beginning, development, or cause.

    • Example: Carcinogenesis (condition of producing cancer).

  • gram, graph, graphy

    • Gram: record of something (e.g., Cardiogram).

    • Graph: instrument that records (e.g., Cardiograph).

    • Graphy: process of recording (e.g., Cardiography).

Quality or Condition Noun Suffixes

  • ea, iti

    • Form relationships with adjectives or nouns.

    • Chlamydia: disease causing cloak-like development.

  • -ible, -ile

    • Form adjectives expressing ability or capacity.

    • Examples: Flexible (capable of bending), Contractible.

  • -ishin

    • Meaning: related or associated with.

    • Example: Pediatrician.

  • -oid, -iform

    • Meaning: resembling or shaped like.

    • Example: Epidermoid: resembling skin.

Medical Conditions and Procedures

Surgical and Diagnostic Suffixes

  • -ectomy

    • Meaning: cutting out.

    • Example: Hysterectomy (cutting out the uterus).

  • -otomy

    • Process of cutting into.

    • Example: Tracheotomy (cutting into the trachea).

  • -scopy

    • Process of viewing.

    • Example: Endoscopy.

  • -itis

    • Means inflammation.

    • Example: Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach).

  • -osis, -iasis

    • Pertains to medical conditions.

    • Example: Scoliosis (curvature of the spine).

Key Verb Forms

Common Verbs in Medical Terminology

  • algia

    • Meaning: pain.

    • Example: Neuralgia (nerve pain).

  • emia

    • Related to blood.

    • Example: Polycythemia (many cells in blood).

  • gen

    • Refers to producing or beginning.

    • Example: Carcinogen.

  • phagia

    • Pertains to eating or swallowing.

    • Example: Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).

Modifier Suffixes

Common Modifiers

  • auto: self - Autolysis - breakdown of oneself.

  • brady: slow - Bradypnea - slow breathing.

  • dys: difficult - Dystocia - difficult birth.

  • hydro: water - Hydrocephalus - buildup of fluid in the brain.

Color Prefixes

Common Color Prefixes

  • erythro: red - Erythrocyte (red blood cell).

  • leuko: white - Leukemia (condition of many white blood cells).

  • cyan: blue - Cyanosis.

  • melano: black - Melanoma (black tumor).

Plural Form Rules

Key Rules for Singular to Plural Conversion

  1. a to ae (pleura to pleurae).

  2. ma to mata (carcinoma to carcinomata).

  3. en to ina (lumen to lumina).

  4. ix or ex to ices (appendix to appendices).

  5. is to es (diagnosis to diagnoses).

  6. on to a (ganglion to ganglia).

  7. um to a (digitus to digiti).

  8. y to ies (deformity to deformities).

  9. ax to aces (thorax to thoraces).

  10. Irregular forms exist (see specific examples).

Pronunciation and Spelling

Importance of Correct Pronunciation

  • Mispronunciation can lead to confusion (e.g., hypoglycemia vs hyperglycemia).

  • Understanding phonetic differences is crucial.

Developing Combining Forms

  • Greek and Latin origins often dictate changes to word parts.

  • Combining vowels (like o and i) make terms easier to pronounce.

  • Example: Gastroenteritis retains root meanings while indicating relationships.