Suffixes

Suffix
-ad -algia -asthenia -blast -cele -cidal toward pain weakness immature, forming hernia destroying, killing

Meaning

Example
cephalad [SF--ld], toward the head neuralgia [n-RL-j-], nerve pain neurasthenia [nr-s-TH-n-], condition with vague symptoms, such as weakness astroblast [S-tr-blst], immature cell cystocele [SS-t-sl], hernia of the urinary bladder suicidal [s--SD-l], likely to kill oneself suicide [S--sd], killing of oneself; bacteriocide [bk-TR---sd], agent that destroys bacteria osteoclasis [S-t-K-l-ss], intentional breaking of a bone osteoclast [S-t--klst], instrument used in osteoclasis endocrine [N-d-krn], gland that secretes hormones into the bloodstream hematocrit [H-m-t-krt], percentage of volume of a blood sample that is composed of cells thrombocyte [THRM-b-st], blood platelet erythrocytosis [-RTH-r-s-t-ss], condition with an abnormal number of red blood cells in the blood scleroderma [sklr--DR-m], hardening of the skin arthrodesis [r-THRD--ss, r-thr-D-ss], stiffening of a joint neurodynia [nr--DN--], nerve pain neurectasia [nr-k-T-z-], operation with dilation of a nerve bronchiectasis [brng-k-K-t-ss], condition with chronic dilation of the bronchi

-cide

destroying, killing

-clasis

breaking

-clast

breaking

-crine

secreting

-crit -cyte -cytosis -derma -desis -dynia -ectasia

separate cell condition of cells skin binding pain expansion; dilation

-ectasis

expanding; dilating

-ectomy

removal of

appendectomy [p-pn-DK-t-m], removal of the appendix lymphedema [lmf--D-m], swelling as a result of obstructed lymph nodes empyema [m-p--m], pus in a body cavity hematemesis [h-m-TM--ss], vomiting of blood uremia [y-R-m-], excess urea in the blood uremic [y-R-mk], having excess urea in the blood paresthesia [pr-s-TH-z-], abnormal sensation, such as tingling uniform [Y-n-frm], having the same shape throughout carcinogen [kr-SN--jn], cancer-causing agent pathogenesis [pth--JN--ss], production of disease iatrogenic [-t-r-JN-k], induced by treatment hemoglobin [h-m-GL-bn], protein of red blood cells immunoglobulin [m-y-n-GLB-y-ln], one of certain structurally related proteins encephalogram [n-SF--l-grm], brain scan encephalograph [n-SF--l-grf], instrument for measuring brain activity echocardiography [k--kr-d-G-r-f], use of ultrasound to examine the heart psoriasis [s-R--ss], chronic skin disease gastric [GS-trk], relating to the stomach orthopedics [r-th-P-dks], medical practice concerned with treatment of skeletal disorders dwarfism [DWRF-zm], condition including abnormally small size nephritis [n-FR-ts], kidney inflammation; neuritides

-edema -ema -emesis -emia -emic -esthesia

swelling condition vomiting blood relating to blood sensation

-form -gen -genesis -genic -globin -globulin -gram -graph

in the shape of producing, coming to be production of producing protein protein a recording recording instrument

-graphy

process of recording pathological condition or state pertaining to treatment, practice, body of knowledge condition, disease, doctrine inflammation

-iasis -ic -ics

-ism -itis (pl. -

itides) -kinesia movement

[n-RT--dz], inflammation of nerves bradykinesia [brd--kn--z-], decrease in movement hyperkinesis [h-pr-k-N-ss], excessive muscular movement catalepsy [KT--lp-s], condition with seizures of extreme rigidity cataleptic [kt--LP-tk], person with catalepsy dermatologist [dr-m-TL--jst], one who practices dermatology dermatology [dr-m-TL--j], study and treatment of skin disorders electrolysis [-lk-TRL--ss], permanent removal of unwanted hair thrombolytic [thrm-b-LT-k], dissolving a thrombus osteomalacia [S-t--m-L-sh-], gradual softening of bone monomania [mn--M-n-], obsession with one idea cephalomegaly [sf--l-MG--l], abnormal enlargement of the head ophthalmometer [f-thl-MM--tr], device for measuring cornea curvature optometry [p-TM--tr], specialty concerned with measurement of eye function cardioid [KR-d-yd], resembling a heart myoma (pl. myomata) [m--m (pl. m--M-t)], neoplasm of muscle tissue diplopia [d-PL-p-], double vision chloropsia [kl-RP-s-], condition of seeing objects as green biopsy [B-p-s], cutting from living tissue to be viewed halitosis [hl--T-ss], chronic bad breath

-kinesis

movement condition of having seizures having seizures one who practices

-lepsy -leptic -logist

-logy

study, practice

-lysis -lytic -malacia -mania -megaly

destruction of destroying softening obsession enlargement

-meter

measuring device

-metry -oid -oma (pl. omata) -opia -opsia -opsy -osis (pl. oses)

measurement like, resembling tumor, neoplasm vision vision view of condition, state, process

-ostomy -oxia -para -parous -paresis -pathy -penia -pepsia -pexy -phage, -phagia, -phagy -phasia

opening oxygen bearing producing; bearing slight paralysis disease deficiency digestion fixation, usually done surgically

colostomy [k-LS-t-m], surgical opening in the colon anoxia [n-K-s-], lack of oxygen primipara [pr-MP-r-],woman who has given birth once viviparous [v-VP--rs], bearing living young monoparesis [mn--p-R-ss], paralysis of only one extremity osteopathy [s-t-P--th], bone disease leukopenia [l-k-P-n-], condition with fewer than normal white blood cells dyspepsia [ds-PP-s-], impaired digestion nephropexy [NF-r-pk-s], surgical fixation of a floating kidney

eating, devouring

polyphagia [pl--F-j-], excessive eating

speaking

aphasia [-F-z-], loss of or reduction in speaking ability leukapheresis [l-k-f-R-ss], removal of leukocytes from drawn blood cyanophil [S-n-n-fl], element that turns blue after staining hemophilia [h-m-FL--], blood disorder with tendency to hemorrhage acrophobia [k-r-F-b-], fear of heights neuraphonia [nr--F-n-], loss of sounds electrophoresis [-lk-tr-FR--ss], movement of particles in an electric field euphoria [y-FR--], feeling of well-being schizophrenia [skz--FR-n-], term for a common psychosis hemophthisis [h-MF-th-ss], anemia

-pheresis

removal

-phil

attraction; affinity for

-philia -phobia -phonia -phoresis -phoria -phrenia -phthisis

attraction; affinity for fear sound carrying feeling; carrying of the mind wasting away

-phylaxis -physis

protection growing

prophylaxis [pr-f-LK-ss], prevention of disease epiphysis [-PF--ss], part of a long bone distinct from and growing out of the shaft leukoplakia [l-k-PL-k-], white patch on the mucous membrane dysplasia [ds-PL-z-], abnormal tissue formation protoplasm [PR-t-plzm], living matter hemoplastic [h-m-PLS-tk], forming new blood cells rhinoplasty [R-n-pls-t], plastic surgery of the nose quadriplegia [kwh-dr-PL-j-], paralysis of all four limbs quadriplegic [kwh-dr-PL-jk], person who has quadriplegia eupnea [yp-N-], easy, normal respiration erythropoiesis [-RTH-r-py--ss], formation of red blood cells erythropoietin [-RTH-r-py--tn], an acid that aids in the formation of red blood cells erythropoietic [-RTH-r-py-t-k], of the formation of red blood cells osteoporosis [S-t--p-R-ss], lessening of bone density blepharoptosis [blf--RP-t-ss], drooping eyelid hemorrhage [HM--rj], to bleed profusely tracheorrhagia [tr-k--R-j-], hemorrhage from the trachea herniorrhaphy [hr-n-R--f], surgical repair of a hernia dysmenorrhea [ds-mn-R--], difficult menstrual flow cardiorrhexis [kr-d--RK-ss], rupture of the heart wall

-plakia -plasia -plasm -plastic -plasty -plegia

plaque formation formation forming surgical repair paralysis

-plegic -pnea -poiesis

one who is paralyzed breath formation

-poietin

one that forms

-poietic

forming

-porosis -ptosis -rrhage -rrhagia

lessening in density falling down; drooping discharging heavily heavy discharge

-rrhaphy -rrhea -rrhexis

surgical suturing a flowing, a flux rupture

-schisis

splitting

spondyloschisis [spn-d-LS-k-ss], failure of fusion of the vertebral arch in an embryo microscope [M-kr-skp], instrument for viewing small objects microscopy [m-KRS-k-p], use of microscopes insomnia [n-SM-n-], inability to sleep esophagospasm [-SF--g-spzm], spasm of the walls of the esophagus peristalsis [pr--STL-ss], movement of the intestines by contraction and relaxation of its tube homeostasis [H-m--ST-ss], state of equilibrium in the body bacteriostat [bk-TR---stt], agent that inhibits bacterial growth hemostatic [h-m-STT-k], stopping blood flow within a vessel stenostenosis [STN--st-N-ss], narrowing of the parotid duct colostomy [k-LS-t-m], surgical opening in the colon osteotome [S-t--tm], instrument for cutting bone laparotomy [LP--RT--me], incision in the abdomen atrophic [-TRF-k], of a wasting state, often due to malnutrition dystrophy [DS-tr-f], changes that result from inadequate nutrition esotropia [s--TR-p-], crossed eyes neurotropic [nr--TRP-k], localizing in nerve tissue neurotropy [n-RT-r-p], affinity of certain contrast mediums for nervous tissue pyuria [p-Y-r-], pus in the urine

-scope

instrument for observing use of an instrument for observing sleep contraction

-scopy -somnia -spasm

-stalsis

contraction

-stasis

stopping; constant

-stat

agent to maintain a state

-static

maintaining a state

-stenosis -stomy -tome

narrowing opening cutting instrument, segment cutting operation

-tomy

-trophic

nutritional

-trophy -tropia -tropic -tropy -uria

nutrition turning turning toward condition of turning toward urine

-version

turning

retroversion [r-tr-VR-zhn], a turning backward; said of the uterus