Pathology Suffixes

Question 1

What does “-algia” mean?

Answer 1

pain and suffering. Gastralgia (gas-TRAL- jee-ah), also known as a stomachache, means pain in the stomach (gastr means stomach, and -algia means pain).

Question 2

What does “-dynia” mean?

Answer 2

pain. Gastrodynia (gas-troh-DIN- ee-ah) also means pain in the stomach (gastr/o means stomach, and -dynia means pain). Although -dynia has the same meaning as -algia, it is not used as commonly. (Figure 1.4.)

Question 3

What does “-itis” mean?

Answer 3

inflammation. Gastritis (gas-TRY-tis) is an inflammation of the stomach (gastr means stomach, and -itis means inflammation).

Question 4

What does “-megaly” mean?

Answer 4

enlargement. Hepatomegaly (hep-ah- toh-MEG-ah-lee) is abnormal enlargement of the liver (hepat/o means liver, and -megaly means enlargement)

Question 5

What does “-malacia” mean?

Answer 5

abnormal softening. Arteriomalacia (ar-tee-ree-oh-mah-LAY-shee-ah) is the abnormal softening of the walls of an artery or arteries (arteri/o means artery, and -malacia means abnormal soften- ing). Notice that -malacia is the opposite of -sclerosis.

Question 6

What does “-necrosis” mean?

Answer 6

tissue death. Arterionecrosis (ar-tee- ree-oh-neh-KROH-sis) is the tissue death of an artery or arteries (arteri/o means artery, and -necrosis means tissue death).

Question 7

What does “-sclerosis” mean?

Answer 7

abnormal hardening. Arteriosclero- sis (ar-tee-ree-oh-skleh-ROH-sis) is the abnormal hardening of the walls of an artery or arteries (arteri/o means artery, and -sclerosis means abnormal hard- ening). Notice that -sclerosis is the opposite of -malacia.

Question 8

What does “-stenosis” mean?

Answer 8

abnormal narrowing. Arteriostenosis (ar-tee-ree-oh-steh-NOH-sis) is the abnormal narrow- ing of an artery or arteries (arteri/o means artery, and -stenosis means abnormal narrowing).