Commonly Used Suffixes In Medical Terminology

Front 1

1. -ac

Back 1

1. pertaining/relating to
(ex. cardiac: pertaining to the heart)

Front 2

2. -al

Back 2

2. pertaining/relating to
(ex. abdominal: pertaining to the abdomen)

Front 3

3. -ar

Back 3

3. pertaining/relating to
(ex. ventricular: pertaining to a ventricle)

Front 4

4. -eal

Back 4

4. pertaining/relating to
(ex. perineal: pertaining to the perineum)

Front 5

5. -ic

Back 5

5. pertaining/relating to
(ex. optic: pertaining to the eye)

Front 6

6. -ose

Back 6

6. pertaining/relating to
(ex. adipose: pertaining to fatty tissue)

Front 7

7. -ous

Back 7

7. pertaining/relating to
(ex. cutaneous: pertaining to skin)

Front 8

8. -algia

Back 8

8. pain
(ex. neuralgia: neural pain)

Front 9

9. -cele

Back 9

9. sac/pouch/hernia
(ex. cystocele: herniation of the bladder)

Front 10

10. -centesis

Back 10

10. puncture into a cavity
(ex. thoracentesis: puncture wound into thorax to remove fluid)

Front 11

11. -clasia

Back 11

11. breaking up, division
(ex. osteoclasia: intentional fracture of a bone to correct abnormality)

Front 12

12. -ectomy

Back 12

12. removal of
(ex. appendectomy: removal of appendix)

Front 13

13. -emia

Back 13

13. condition of the blood
(ex. leukemia: cancer of the WBCs)

Front 14

14. -genic

Back 14

14. begin/generate/produce
(ex. pathogenic:producing disease)

Front 15

15. -gram

Back 15

15. a drawing or recording
(ex. cardiogram: a recording of electrical activity of the heart)

Front 16

16. -graph

Back 16

16. recording instrument
(ex. cardiograph: recording device that registers the electrical activity of the heart)

Front 17

17. -graphy

Back 17

17. recording process
(ex. cardiography: recording and study of the electrical activity of the heart)

Front 18

18. -ia

Back 18

18. condition/abnormal state
(ex. anemia: condition of reduced RBCs)

Front 19

19. -ian/ist

Back 19

19. specialist in field of study
(ex. pediatrician: physician who specializes in the care of children)

Front 20

20. -iasis

Back 20

20. formation/condition of
(ex. nephrolithiasis: formation of calculi [stones] in the kidney)

Front 21

21. -ism

Back 21

21. condition of
(ex. alcoholism: condition of excess alcohol intake)

Front 22

22. -itis

Back 22

22. inflammation of
(ex. dermatitis: inflammation of the skin)

Front 23

23. -logist

Back 23

23. specialist in area of study
(ex. pathologist: physician who specializes in the study of disease)

Front 24

24. -logy

Back 24

24. study of
(ex. cytology: the study of cells)

Front 25

25. -lysis

Back 25

25. breaking down
(ex. hemolysis: breaking down of blood cells)

Front 26

26. -megaly

Back 26

26. enlargement
(ex. cardiomegaly: enlargement of the heart)

Front 27

27. -oma

Back 27

27. neoplasm or tumour
(ex. sarcoma: cancerous tumour of connective tissue)

Front 28

28. -parous

Back 28

28. bearing or giving birth to
(ex. multiparous: pertaining to multiple births)

Front 29

29. -pathy

Back 29

29. disease
(ex. nephropathy: disease of the kidney)

Front 30

30. -penia

Back 30

30. pathological reduction/reduced amount
(ex. erythrocytopenia: abnormal decrease in the number of RBCs)

Front 31

31. -phile, -philla

Back 31

31. an attraction to or abnormal tendency toward
(ex. lipophilic: attracted to fats)

Front 32

32. -phobia

Back 32

32. fear of
(ex. hydrophobia: fear of water)

Front 33

33. -plasia

Back 33

33. formation
(ex. hyperplasia: excessive formation of new cells)

Front 34

34. -plasm

Back 34

34. a material that forms cells
(ex. neoplasm: new growth/tumour)

Front 35

35. -plasty

Back 35

35. repair of/reconstruction
(ex. rhinoplasty: reconstruction of the nose)

Front 36

36. -pnea

Back 36

36. breathing
(ex. orthopnea: difficulty breathing in recumbent position)

Front 37

37. -poiesis

Back 37

37. formation of
(ex. erythropoiesis: formation of RBCs)

Front 38

38. -scope

Back 38

38. instrument for visual examination
(ex. bronchoscope: instrument that visualizes the bronchial tree)

Front 39

39. -scopy

Back 39

39. examination using a scope
(ex. cystoscopy: procedure that uses a cystoscope to visualize the urinary bladder)

Front 40

40. -stasis

Back 40

40. constancy, stillness, or stagnation
(ex. hemostasis: arrested or halted blood flow)

Front 41

41. -stenosis

Back 41

41. narrowing
(ex. pyloric stenosis: narrowing of the pyloric valve)

Front 42

42. -stomy

Back 42

42. creation of artificial opening
(ex. colostomy: an opening from the colon to the surface of the body)

Front 43

43. -therapy

Back 43

43. treatment
(ex. cryotherapy: treatment of diseased body tissues by using extreme cold

Front 44

44. -trophy

Back 44

44. development; a certain type of growth
(ex. hypertrophy: increase in the size of a body structure or organ

Front 45

45. -uria

Back 45

45. condition of the urine
(ex. oliguria: abnormally low urine output)