Medical Terminology: Suffixes

• Suffix: -ad
  Meaning: Toward
  Example: Cephalad - toward the head
• Suffix: -algia
  Meaning: Pain
  Example: Cervicalgia - neck pain
• Suffix: -asthenia
  Meaning: Weakness
  Example: Myasthenia - muscle weakness
• Suffix: -blast
  Meaning: Immature, forming
  Example: Cytoblast - immature cell
• Suffix: -cele
  Meaning: Hernia
  Example: Hydrocele - a collection of serous fluid in a sacculated cavity
• Suffix: -cidal, -cide
  Meaning: Destroying, killing
  Example: Cytocide - an agent that is destructive to cells
• Suffix: -clasis
  Meaning:
  Breaking Example: Osteoclasis - intentional breaking of the bone
• Suffix: -clast
  Meaning: Breaking instrument
  Example: Cranioclast - an obsolete instrument used for crushing the head of a demised fetus for extraction
• Suffix: -crine
  Meaning: Secreting
  Example: Apocrine - gland that secretes hormones
• Suffix: -crit
  Meaning: Separate
  Example: Hematocrit - percentage of volume of blood sample that is composed of cells
• Suffix: -cyte
  Meaning: Cell
  Example: Leukocyte - white blood cell
• Suffix: -cytosis
  Meaning: Condition of cells
  Example: Leukocytosis - condition of elevated white blood cells
• Suffix: -derma
  Meaning: Skin
  Example: Leukoderma - an absence of pigment in the skin
• Suffix: -desis
  Meaning: Binding
  Example: Pleurodesis - a fibrous adhesion between two layers of pleura
• Suffix: -dynia
  Meaning: Pain
  Example: Gastrodynia - stomach ache
• Suffix: -ectasia
  Meaning: Expansion, dilation
  Example: Angiectasia - dilation of a lymphatic or blood vessel
• Suffix: -ectomy
  Meaning: Removal of
  Example: Splenectomy - removal of spleen
• Suffix: -edema
  Meaning: Swelling
  Example: Myxedema - hypothyroid characterized by a hard swelling of subcutaneous tissue
• Suffix: -ema
  Meaning: Condition
  Example: Emphysema - a condition of the lungs involving enlarged air space in connective tissue
• Suffix: -emesis
  Meaning: Vomiting
  Example: Hyperemesis - excessive vomiting
• Suffix: - emia
  Meaning: Blood
  Example: Hypokalemia - abnormal low potassium in the blood
• Suffix: -emic
  Meaning: Relating to blood
  Example: Hyperemic - denoting increased blood flow to a part or organ
• Suffix: -esthesia
  Meaning: Sensation
  Example: Paresthesia - abnormal sensation, such a tingling
• Suffix: -form
  Meaning: In the shape of
  Example: Chloroform - used as an inhalant to produce general anesthesia
• Suffix: -gen
  Meaning: A substance or agent producing, coming to be
  Example: Oxygen - gaseous element essential to plant and animal life
• Suffix: -genesis
  Meaning: Production of
  Example: Osteogenesis - the production of bone
• Suffix: -genic
  Meaning: Producing
  Example: Cytogenic - forming or producing of cells
• Suffix: -globin
  Meaning: Protein
  Example: Hemoglobin - protein of red blood cells
• Suffix: -globulin
  Meaning: Protein
  Example: Gamma-globulin - a protein in the blood, ie. immunoglobulin
• Suffix: -gram
  Meaning: A recording
  Example: Arthrogram - imaging of a joint by contrast material
• Suffix: -graph
  Meaning: Recording instrument
  Example: Cardiograph - an instrument for graphically recording movements of the heart
• Suffix: -graphy
  Meaning: Process of recording
  Example: Angiography - radiography of blood vessles by contrast agent
• Suffix: -iasis
  Meaning: Pathological condition or state
  Example: Cholelithiasis - presence of stone in the gallbladder
• Suffix: -ic
  Meaning: Pertaining to
  Example: Anemic - pertaining to the blood
• Suffix: -ics
  Meaning: Treatment, practice, body of knowledge
  Example - Pediatric - a medical practice concerned with treatment of children
• Suffix: -ism
  Meaning: Condition, disease, doctrine
  Example: Hypothyroidism - the condition of having an abnormally low producing thyroid
• Suffix: -itis
  Meaning: Inflammation
  Example: Dermatitis - an inflammation of the skin
• Suffix: -kinesia; -kinesis
  Meaning: Movement
  Example: Hyperkinesis - excessive muscular movement
• Suffix: -lepsy
  Meaning: Condition of
  Example: Epilepsy - condition with having seizures
• Suffix: -leptic
  Meaning: Having seizures
  Example: Epileptic - person with epilepsy
• Suffix: -logist
  Meaning: One who practices
  Example: Cardiologist - one who practices medicine of the heart
• Suffix: -logy
  Meaning: Study, practice
  Example: Pathology - study of diseases
• Suffix: -lysis
  Meaning: Destruction of
  Example: Paralysis - loss of power of voluntary movement
• Suffix: -lytic
  Meaning: Destroying
  Example: Hemolytic - agent that is destructive to blood cells
• Suffix: -malacia
  Meaning: Softening
  Example: Osteomalacia - gradual softening of bone
• Suffix: -mania
  Meaning: Obsession
  Example: Pyromania - obsessive thoughts regarding fire
• Suffix: -megaly
  Meaning: Enlargement
  Example: Cardiomegaly - abnormal enlargement of the heart
• Suffix: -meter
  Meaning: Measuring device
  Example: Thermometer - used for measuring temperature
• Suffix: -metry
  Meaning: Measurement
  Example: Oximetry - device used to measure oxygen saturation
• Suffix: -oid
  Meaning: Like, resembling
  Example: Hemorrhoid - varicose condition of the external hemorrhoidal vein
• Suffix: -oma
  Meaning: Tumor, neoplasm
  Example: Glioma - neoplasm of the brain
• Suffix: -opia; -opsia
  Meaning: Vision
  Example: Diplopia - double vision
• Suffix: -opsy
  Meaning: View of
  Example: Autopsy - examination of a dead body's organs
• Suffix: -osis
  Meaning: Condition, state, process
  Example: Keratosis - any lesion on the skin marked by overgrowths from the horny layer
• Suffix: -ostomy
  Meaning: Opening
  Example: Tracheostomy - surgical opening in the trachea
• Suffix: -oxia
  Meaning: Oxygen
  Example: Hypoxia - abnormally low levels of oxygen prior to anoxia
• Suffix: -para
  Meaning: Bearing
  Example: Primipara - woman who has given birth once
• Suffix: -paresis
  Meaning: Slight paralysis
  Example: Hemiparesis - weakness effecting one side of the body
• Suffix: -parous
  Meaning: Producing, bearing
  Meaning: Gemmiparous - reproducing by buds
• Suffix: -pathy
  Meaning: Disease
  Example: Cardiopathy - any disease of the heart
• Suffix: -penia
  Meaning: Deficiency
  Example: Thrombocytopenia - condition of low numbers of thrombocytes in the blood
• Suffix: -pepsia
  Meaning: Digestion
  Example: Hyperpepsia - abnormally rapid digestion
• Suffix: -pexy
  Meaning: Fixation, usually done surgically
  Example: Hysteropexy - fixation of a displaced uterus
• Suffix: -phage; -phagia; -phagy
  Meaning: Eating, devouring
  Example: Macrophage - a cell that eats invaders
• Suffix: -phasia
  Meaning: Speaking
  Example: Dysphasia - difficulty in swallowing
• Suffix: -pheresis
  Meaning: Removal
  Example: Leukapheresis - removal of leukocytes from drawn blood
• Suffix: -phil; -philia
  Meaning: Attraction, affinity for
  Example: Hemophilia - permanent tendency toward bleeding
• Suffix: -phobia
  Meaning: Fear
  Example: Agoraphobia - irrational fear of the open or unfamiliar
• Suffix: -phonia
  Meaning: Sound
  Example: Dysphonia - altered voice production
• Suffix: -phoresis
  Meaning: Carrying
  Example: Diaphoresis - perspiration
• Suffix: -phoria
  Meaning: Feeling, carrying
  Example: Adiaphoria - non-response to stimuli
• Suffix: -phrenia
  Meaning: Of the mind
  Example: Hebephrenia - a disorganized type of schizophrenia
• Suffix: -phthisis
  Meaning: Wasting away
  Example: Hemophthisis - anemia
• Suffix: -phylaxis
  Meaning: Protection
  Example: Anaphylaxis - a sever reaction to an agent the body recognizes as an invader
• Suffix: -physis
  Meaning: Growing
  Example: Epiphysis - part of a long bone distinct from and growing out of the shaft
• Suffix: -plakia
  Meaning: Plaque
  Example: melanoplakia - colored patches on the mucous membrane
• Suffix: -plasia
  Meaning: Formation
  Example: Hyperplasia - an increase of the normal number of cells in an organ
• Suffix: -plasm
  Meaning: Formation
  Example: Cytoplasm - a substance of protoplasm in a cell
• Suffix: -plastic
  Meaning: Forming
  Example: Neoplastic - containing a neoplasm or the characteristics of one
• Suffix: -plasty
  Meaning: Surgical repair
  Example: Dermatoplasty - surgical repair of the skin
• Suffix: -plegia
  Meaning: Paralysis
  Example: Paraplegia - paralysis of both lower extremities
• Suffix: -plegic
  Meaning: One who is paralyzed
  Example: Paraplegic - one who has paraplegia
• Suffix: -pnea
  Meaning: Breath
  Example: Dyspnea - difficult or abnormal breathing
• Suffix: -poiesis
  Meaning: Formation
  Example: Thrombopoiesis - formation of thrombocytes
• Suffix: -poietic
  Meaning: Forming
  Example: Erythropoietic - of the formation of red blood cells
• Suffix: -poietin
  Meaning: One that forms
  Example: Erythropoietin - an acid that aids in the formation of red blood cells
• Suffix: -porosis
  Meaning: Lessening in density
  Example: Osteoporosis - lessening if bone density
• Suffix: -ptosis
  Meaning: Falling down, drooping
  Example: Nephroptosis - when the kidney sinks into the pelvis cavity
• Suffix: -rrhage
  Meaning: Discharging heavily
  Example: Hemorrhage - to bleed heavily
• Suffix: -rrhagia
  Meaning: Heavy discharge Example: Menorrhagia - Excessive menstrual bleeding
  
• Suffix: -rrhaphy
  Meaning: Surgical suturing
  Example: Colorrhaphy - suture of the colon
• Suffix: -rrhea
  Meaning: A flowing, a flux
  Example: Rhinorrhea - runny nose
• Suffix: -rrhexis
  Meaning: Rupture
  Example: Angiorrhexis - ruptured blood vessel
• Suffix: -schisis
  Meaning: Splitting internal body cavity
  Example: Spondyloschisis - failure of fusion of the vertebral arch in an embryo
• Suffix: -scope
  Meaning: Instrument (especially one used for observing)
  Example: Laparoscope - a scope used for examining the peritoneal cavity
• Suffix: -scopy
  Meaning; Use of an instrument for observing
  Example: Endoscopy - use of instruments to view an
• Suffix: -somnia
  Meaning: Sleep
  Example: Hypersomnia - excessive day time sleep
• Suffix: -spasm
  Meaning: Contraction
  Example: Myospasm - spastic contractions of the muscle
• Suffix: -stalsis
  Meaning: Contraction
  Example: Retrostalsis - backward motion of the intestine
• Suffix: -stasis
  Meaning: Stopping, constant
  Example: Cholestasis - a condition where bile flow from the liver is blocked
• Suffix: -stat
  Meaning: Agent to maintain a state
  Example: Hemostat - an agent that arrests the blow of blood
• Suffix: -static
  Meaning: Maintaining a state
  Example: Orthostatic - relating to an erect posture
• Suffix: -stenosis
  Meaning: Narrowing
  Example: Aortic stenosis - a narrowing of the aortic valve
• Suffix: -stomy
  Meaning: Opening
  Example: Gastrostomy - surgical opening in the stomach (usually for a feeding tube)
• Suffix: -tome
  Meaning: Cutting instrument, segment
  Example: Dermatome - an instrument for making thin slices of the skin
• Suffix: -tomy
  Meaning: Cutting operation
  Example: Craniotomy - surgical operation that removes a portion of the skull to access the brain
• Suffix: -trophic
  Meaning: Nutritional
  Example: Hypotrophic - progressive degeneration of organs and tissue
• Suffix: -trophy
  Meaning: Nutrition
  Example: Atrophy - a wasting away of the body
• Suffix: -tropia
  Meaning: Turning
  Example: Anatropia - deviation of the axis of one eye upward
• Suffix: -tropic
  Meaning: Turning toward
  Example: Dexiotropic - twisting in a spiral fashion from left to right
• Suffix: -tropy
  Meaning: Condition of turning toward
  Example: Neurotropy - affinity of certain contrasts mediums for nervous tissue
• Suffix: -uria
  Meaning: Urine
  Example: Dysuria - painful or difficult urination
• Suffix: -version
  Meaning: Turning
  Example: Retroversion - a turning backward