Medical Terminology Suffixes

Question 1

‐algia, -dynia

pronounced al-gee-ah

Answer 1

pain

like fibromyalgia (condition causing widespread pain)

Question 2

‐centesis

pronounced cent-EE-sis

Answer 2

surgical puncture

like amniocentesis (puncture of amniotic sac to get a sample of fluid)

Question 3

‐cide

pronounced side

Answer 3

kills

like insecticide (insect killer)

Question 4

‐cyte

pronounced site/sight

Answer 4

cell

erythocyte (red blood cell) and leukocyte (white blood cell)

Question 5

‐ectomy

Answer 5

cutting out, surgically removing

masectomy (removal of the breast), hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)

Question 6

‐emesis

Answer 6

vomit

like hematemesis (vomiting blood)

Question 7

‐emia

pronounced ee-me-ah

Answer 7

blood condition

like anemia (lack of blood)

Question 8

‐itis

pronounced eye-tiss

Answer 8

inflammation

like cystitis (nflammation of the bladder)

Question 9

‐ology

Answer 9

science, study of

like biology (study of life), geology (study of earth)

Question 10

‐oma

pronounced oh-mah

Answer 10

tumor

like sarcoma (tumor in connective tissue) or melanoma (skin tumor)

Question 11

‐otomy or -stomy

Answer 11

creation of an opening

like colostomy (opening into large instestine or colon)

Question 12

‐penia

pronounced peen-ee-ah

Answer 12

deficiency of, lack of

leukopenia (defic of white blood cells), osteopenia (low bone density)

Question 13

‐phag

pronounced fay-jah

Answer 13

eating, devouring

aphagia (inability to swallow/eat), macrophage (large engulfing cell)

Question 14

‐phobia

Answer 14

abnormal fear, intolerance

Question 15

‐pnea

Answer 15

breathing

like sleep apnea (not breathing during sleep)

Question 16

‐ptosis

Answer 16

prolapse, downward displacement

Question 17

‐rrhage

pronounced err-ed-ge

Answer 17

excessive flow

like hemorrhage (excessive blood flow)

Question 18

‐rrhea

pronounced err-ee-ah

Answer 18

flow or discharge

like diarrhea (flowing feces)

Question 19

‐scopy

pronouced sk-op-ee

Answer 19

act of visually examining

endoscopy (exam of abdomen), colonoscopy (exam of colon)

Question 20

‐tomy

Answer 20

cut, incision

like blepharotomy (incision on eyelid), tracheotomy (cut into trachea)

Question 21

-plasty

Answer 21

surgical repair or replacement

rhinoplasty (plastic surgery of nose)

Question 22

-opsy

pronounced like ah-p-see

Answer 22

view of, vision

biopsy (removal of tissue for examination)

Question 23

-lysis

pronouced lih-sis

Answer 23

separation, loosen, dissolve

dialysis (separtion of waste material from blood)

Question 24

-genic

Answer 24

producing, forming

teratogenic (causing bith defects)

Question 25

-graphy, -gram (noun)

Answer 25

process of recording, record/picture (noun)

electrocardiography/gram ECG/EKG (recording electricity from the heart)

Question 26

-sclerosis

pronounced skl-er-oh-sis

Answer 26

hardening

arteriosclerosis-hardening of arteries, osteosclerosis-hardening of bone

Question 27

-plegia

pronounced plee-gee-ah

Answer 27

paralysis

quadriplegia-paralysis of all 4 limbs

Question 28

-pathy

Answer 28

disease

myopathy-diseased muscle tissue, homeopathy- from like/same and disease

Question 29

-rrhexis

Answer 29

breaking open, rupture

cardiorrhexis-rupture of heart, splenorrhexis-rupture of spleen

Question 30

-megaly

Answer 30

enlargement

cardiomegaly-enlargement of heart, phlebomegaly-vericose veins

Question 31

-malacia

Answer 31

softening

chondromalacia-softening of cartilage, osteomalacia-softening of bone

Question 32

-lepsy

Answer 32

seizure, attack

epilepsy-disease marked by seizures, narcolepsy-sleep attack

Question 33

-ia

pronounced ee-ah

Answer 33

condition, disease

polyuria-cond of excessive urination, hypothermia-cond of low body temp

-ia also shows up in other suffixes like algia or dynia (condition of pain), emia (condition of blood)