Suffix Handout

Suffix

Meaning

Examples

“PERTAINING TO”

-ac, -al, -an, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ic, -ine, -ous, -tic

pertaining to

cardiac, renal ovarian, lumbar, alimentary, laryngeal, enteric, uterine, cutaneous, nephrotic

SURGICAL

-ectomy

surgical removal, cutting out

mastectomy, hysterectomy, mandibulectomy, colectomy, onychectomy

-pexy

suture to stabilize, fixation(“tacting”)

gastropexy, abomasumpexy

-plasty,

surgical repair

rhinoplasty

-stomy

surgically create an opening

colostomy-opening between the colon and body surface, gastrostomy-opening between the stomach and body surface

cystostmoy-opening between the bladder and body surface

-tomy

cutting into (incision)

gastrotomy- cut into the stomach, enterotomy-cut into the intestines, cystotomy-cut into the bladder, osteotomy-cut into the bone

PROCEDURAL

-centesis

surgical puncture to remove fluid

cystocentesis- surgical puncture to remove fluid from the bladder, thoracentesis, surgical puncture to remove fluid from the throax, abdominocentesis, arthrocentesis

-gram

record of, recording

electrocardiogram, cystogram

-graph

instrument that records, or used as a record

electrocardiograph, radiograph-record of the picture

-graphy

procedure that records

electrocardiography, radiography-procedure of taking a radiograph

-lysis

separation or breakdown

hemolysis-breakdown of blood(RBC), urinalysis-breakdown

-scope

instrument to visually examine

microscope, endoscope, laryngoscope, otoscope, arthroscope, ophthalmoscope

-scopy

procedure to visually examine

endoscopy, laryngoscopy, microscopy, colonoscopy, rhinoscopy

-therapy

treatment

chemotherapy, hydrotherapy

DOUBLE RR

-rrhagia, -rrhage

bursting forth

hemorrhage

-rrhaphy

suturing in place

enterorrhaphy, herniorrhaphy, osteorrhaphy, laryngorrhaphy

-rrhea

flow or discharge

diarrhea, seborrhea

-rrhexis

rupture

myorrhexis(rupture of a muscle), enterorrhexis, onychorrhexis(nail rupture due to brittleness)

CONDITIONAL & STRUCTURAL

-algia, -dynia

pain

arthralgia, neuralgia, fibromyalgia,

-esis, -ia, -ism, -osis, -sis, -tion, -y

state or condition

paresis(partial paralysis), hyperglycemia, hyperthyroidism, inhalation, proptosis

-itis

inflammation

otitis, hepatitis, gastritis, mastitis, bronchitis, laryngitis

-ive

performs or tends toward

congestive, regenerative

-malacia

abnormal softening

osteomalacia

-megaly

enlargement

cardiomegaly, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly,

-pathy

disease

enteropathy, neuropathy, cardiomyopathy

-sclerosis

abnormal hardening

arteriosclerosis

-um

structure

pericardium

OTHER

-cyte

cell

leukocyte, erythrocyte, monocyte, thrombocyte,

-cle, -cule, -ole, -ule

small

follicle, molecule, arteriole, bronchiole

-emesis

vomit

hyperemesis, hematemesis, antiemetic

-emia

blood condition

anemia, leukemia, hyperemia

-er, -ent, -ist, -or

person or agent

cardiologist, teacher, agent, donor

-form, -oid

resembling or shaped like

ovoid, discoid

-genesis

development, origin

pathogenesis, carcinogenesis,

-logy

study of

biology, radiology, cardiology, dermatology

-oma

tumor

carcinoma, melanoma, hemangioma, adenoma

-penia

deficient, lack of

eosinopenia, leukopenia, panleukopenia, thrombocytopenia

-plasia, -plastic

forming, growing, changing

dysplasia, aplastic, hyperplasia

-phage

eating

macrophage, coprophagy,

-phobia

abnormal fear

photophobia, hydrophobia

-pnea

breathing

apnea, tachypnea, bradypnea, dyspnea

-tome

instrument for cutting

osteotome