commonly used suffixes

Question 1

• algia

Answer 1

pain

eg. dentalgia : pain in the tooth

Question 2

• ase

Answer 2

suffix for enzyme

eg. proteinase: protein digesting enzyme

Question 3

• atresia

Answer 3

without an opening

eg. proctresia: rectum without an opening

Question 4

• blast

Answer 4

immature cell form

eg. erythroblast: immature RBCs

Question 5

• cele

Answer 5

hernia

eg. omphalocele: umbilical hernia

Question 6

• centesis

Answer 6

puncture to aspirate fluid

eg. arthrocentesis: puncture to aspirate fluid from a joint

Question 7

• cept

Answer 7

take, receive

eg. receptor: something that receives

Question 8

• cide

Answer 8

kill

eg. bactericidal : able to kill bacteria

Question 9

• cis

Answer 9

cut

eg. circumcision: cutting around

Question 10

• cyte

Answer 10

cell

eg. erythrocyte: red blood cell

Question 11

• denia

Answer 11

pain

eg. cephalodenia : pain in the head

Question 12

• desis

Answer 12

fusion

eg. arthridesis: fusion of joint

Question 13

• ectasia

Answer 13

expansion

eg. corectasis: expanding or dilating pupil

Question 14

• ectomy

Answer 14

cut out, excise

eg. nephrectomy: surgically remove kidney

Question 15

• edema

Answer 15

swelling

eg. cephaledema: swelling of head

Question 16

• emesis

Answer 16

vomiting

eg. hyperemesis: excessive vomitting

Question 17

• emia

Answer 17

blood

eg. hyperglycaemia: elevated blood sugar

Question 18

• gen

Answer 18

precursor of

eg. teratogen: agent that causes a malformed fetus

Question 19

• gnosis

Answer 19

knowledge

eg. diagnosis: knowledge through examination

Question 20

• gram

Answer 20

record

eg. myelogram: x ray of spinal cord

Question 21

• graphy

Answer 21

making a record

eg. aniography: making a record of vessels

Question 22

• iasis

Answer 22

condition

eg. cholelithiasis: condition of gallstones

Question 23

• ism

Answer 23

condition, disease

eg. alcoholism: addiction to alcohol

Question 24

• ist

Answer 24

one who ..

eg. optometrist : one who measures vision

Question 25

- itis

Answer 25

inflammation | eg. adenitis : inflammation of glands

Question 26

- lepsy

Answer 26

seizure | eg. narcolepsy: seizures of numbness

Question 27

- lexy

Answer 27

speech, words | eg. dyslexia: difficulty in reading words

Question 28

- logist

Answer 28

one who specialises | eg. opthalmology: one who specialises in eyes

Question 29

- logy

Answer 29

study of | eg. biology

Question 30

- lysis, - lytic, - lyze

Answer 30

break down, dissolve | eg. tenolysis : destruction of tendons

Question 31

- lyt

Answer 31

dissolvable | eg. electrolytes: substance that ionises in water solution

Question 32

- malacia

Answer 32

abnormal softening | eg. osteomalacia: abnormal softening of bone

Question 33

- mania

Answer 33

madness | eg. pyromania: irresistible urge to set fires

Question 34

- megaly

Answer 34

enlargement | eg. splenomegaly: enlargement of spleen

Question 35

- meter

Answer 35

measure | eg. thermometer: instrument to measure temperature

Question 36

- old

Answer 36

resembling | eg. mucoid : resembling mucus

Question 37

- oma

Answer 37

tumor | eg. neuroma: nerve tumor

Question 38

- opia

Answer 38

vision | eg. amblyopia : dim vision

Question 39

- osis

Answer 39

abnormal condition | eg. nephrosis: abnormal condition of kidney

Question 40

- osme, - osmia

Answer 40

smell | eg. anosmia: inability to smell

Question 41

- ostomy

Answer 41

create an opening | eg. colostomy: create an opening in colon

Question 42

- otia

Answer 42

ear | eg. macrotia: large ear

Question 43

- pathy

Answer 43

disease | eg. encephalopathy : disease of the brain

Question 44

- penia

Answer 44

deficiency, poor | eg. leukocytopenia : deficiency of white cells

Question 45

- pexy

Answer 45

surgical fixation | eg. nephropexy: surgical fixation of the kidney

Question 46

- phasia

Answer 46

speak, say | eg. aphasia: without ability to speak

Question 47

- philia

Answer 47

love, attraction | eg. chromophilic: attracted to color

Question 48

- phobia

Answer 48

abnormal fear | eg. agoraphobia: abnormal fear of crowds

Question 49

- plasia

Answer 49

formation | eg. hyperplasia : excessive formation

Question 50

- plasm

Answer 50

substance | eg. protoplasm: orginal substance

Question 51

- plasty

Answer 51

make, shape | eg. rhinoplasty: to reshape the nose

Question 52

- plegia

Answer 52

paralysis | eg. hemiplegia: paralysis of one half of body

Question 53

- pnea

Answer 53

breath | eg. tachypnea: fast breathing

Question 54

- ptosis

Answer 54

prolapse, dropping | eg. hysteroptosis: prolapse of uterus

Question 55

- rrhagia

Answer 55

burst forth | eg. metrorrhagia: hemorrhage from uterus

Question 56

- rrhaphy

Answer 56

suture, sew | eg. herniorrhaphy: suture a hernia

Question 57

- rrhea

Answer 57

flow, dischargee | eg. otorrhea: discharge from ear

Question 58

- rrhexis

Answer 58

rupture | eg. splenorrhexis : rupture of spleen

Question 59

- scope

Answer 59

instrument for viewing | eg. otoscope: instrument to look in ear

Question 60

- scopy

Answer 60

visualisation | eg. laryngoscopy: visualisation of larynx

Question 61

- some, - soma

Answer 61

body | eg. lysosome: body that loses or dissolves

Question 62

- spasm

Answer 62

twitching | eg. blepharospasm : twitching of eyelids

Question 63

- stasis

Answer 63

stop, control | eg. hemostasis: control bleeding

Question 64

- therapy

Answer 64

treatment | eg. hydrotherapy: treatment with water

Question 65

- tome

Answer 65

instrument to cut | eg. osteotome: instrument to cut bone

Question 66

- tomy

Answer 66

to cut | eg. laparotomy: to cut into abdomen

Question 67

- tripsy

Answer 67

crushing | eg. nephrolithotripsy: crushing stone in kidney

Question 68

- trophy, - trophic, - trophin

Answer 68

development | eg. hypertrophy: overdevelopment

Question 69

- uria

Answer 69

urine | eg. hematuria: blood in the urine