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Medical Suffixes A–Z
Suffixes close a medical word and say what kind of thing the word is — a condition, a procedure, a record, a specialist or a state. The same root can become a disease with -itis, a surgery with -ectomy, a study with -logy and a specialist with -logist, so the suffix is often the fastest clue to what a word is about.
All 130 suffixes are listed below. Open any word part for its meaning and example words broken down part by part.
| Word part | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| -acusis | Suffix | hearing condition |
| -agra | Suffix | severe pain; gouty pain |
| -algia | Suffix | pain |
| -asthenia | Suffix | weakness; lack of strength |
| -atrophy | Suffix | wasting away; decrease in size |
| -blast | Suffix | immature cell; germ cell |
| -capnia | Suffix | carbon dioxide in the blood |
| -cele | Suffix | hernia; swelling |
| -centesis | Suffix | surgical puncture to remove fluid |
| -cide | Suffix | agent that kills |
| -clasis | Suffix | surgical breaking |
| -clast | Suffix | cell that breaks down |
| -crine | Suffix | to secrete |
| -cyesis | Suffix | pregnancy |
| -cyte | Suffix | cell |
| -cytosis | Suffix | increase in cells |
| -derm | Suffix | skin; layer |
| -desis | Suffix | surgical binding; fusion |
| -dipsia | Suffix | thirst |
| -drome | Suffix | that which runs together; syndrome pattern |
| -dynia | Suffix | pain |
| -dystrophy | Suffix | abnormal development; degeneration |
| -ectasis | Suffix | dilation; expansion |
| -ectomy | Suffix | surgical removal; excision |
| -ectopia | Suffix | displacement; out of place |
| -edema | Suffix | swelling from fluid |
| -emesis | Suffix | vomiting |
| -emia | Suffix | blood condition |
| -esis | Suffix | condition; action |
| -esthesia | Suffix | sensation; feeling |
| -form | Suffix | resembling; shape of |
| -fuge | Suffix | agent that expels; drives away |
| -gen | Suffix | producer; substance that produces |
| -genesis | Suffix | production; origin |
| -genic | Suffix | produced by; producing |
| -gram | Suffix | a record; a written result |
| -graph | Suffix | instrument for recording |
| -graphy | Suffix | process of recording |
| -gravida | Suffix | pregnant woman |
| -ia | Suffix | condition |
| -iasis | Suffix | abnormal condition; infestation |
| -iatry | Suffix | medical treatment; specialty |
| -ism | Suffix | condition; process |
| -ist | Suffix | specialist |
| -itis | Suffix | inflammation |
| -ium | Suffix | structure; tissue; element |
| -keratosis | Suffix | horny growth; thickened skin condition |
| -kinesia | Suffix | movement |
| -lalia | Suffix | speech condition |
| -lepsy | Suffix | seizure; attack |
| -lexia | Suffix | reading; words |
| -lith | Suffix | stone; calculus |
| -lithiasis | Suffix | condition of stones |
| -lysis | Suffix | separation; breakdown; loosening |
| -lytic | Suffix | destroying; breaking down |
| -malacia | Suffix | abnormal softening |
| -mania | Suffix | excessive preoccupation; madness |
| -megaly | Suffix | enlargement |
| -meter | Suffix | instrument for measuring |
| -metry | Suffix | process of measuring |
| -mimetic | Suffix | mimicking |
| -mnesia | Suffix | memory condition |
| -necrosis | Suffix | tissue death |
| -nomy | Suffix | system of laws; body of knowledge |
| -oid | Suffix | resembling |
| -ologist | Suffix | specialist in the study of |
| -ology | Suffix | study of |
| -oma | Suffix | tumor; mass |
| -opia | Suffix | vision condition |
| -orexia | Suffix | appetite |
| -osis | Suffix | abnormal condition; increase |
| -osmia | Suffix | smell; sense of smell |
| -ostomy | Suffix | surgical creation of an opening |
| -otomy | Suffix | surgical incision; cutting into |
| -para | Suffix | woman who has given birth |
| -paresis | Suffix | partial paralysis; weakness |
| -partum | Suffix | childbirth; labor |
| -pathy | Suffix | disease |
| -penia | Suffix | deficiency; decrease |
| -pepsia | Suffix | digestion |
| -pexy | Suffix | surgical fixation |
| -phagia | Suffix | eating; swallowing |
| -phasia | Suffix | speech condition |
| -phobia | Suffix | persistent fear |
| -phonia | Suffix | voice condition |
| -phoria | Suffix | feeling; state of bearing |
| -phyma | Suffix | tumor; growth |
| -phyte | Suffix | plant; growth |
| -plakia | Suffix | plaque; patch |
| -plasia | Suffix | formation; development |
| -plasm | Suffix | formed substance; tissue |
| -plasty | Suffix | surgical repair |
| -plegia | Suffix | paralysis |
| -pnea | Suffix | breathing |
| -poiesis | Suffix | formation; production |
| -ptosis | Suffix | drooping; falling; prolapse |
| -ptysis | Suffix | spitting |
| -rrhage | Suffix | bursting forth; excessive flow |
| -rrhagia | Suffix | excessive flow; bleeding |
| -rrhaphy | Suffix | surgical suturing |
| -rrhea | Suffix | flow; discharge |
| -rrhexis | Suffix | rupture |
| -sarcoma | Suffix | malignant tumor of connective tissue |
| -schisis | Suffix | split; cleft |
| -sclerosis | Suffix | abnormal hardening |
| -scope | Suffix | instrument for visual examination |
| -scopy | Suffix | visual examination |
| -sepsis | Suffix | infection; putrefaction |
| -sis | Suffix | state of; condition |
| -somnia | Suffix | sleep condition |
| -spasm | Suffix | involuntary contraction |
| -stasis | Suffix | stopping; controlling; standing still |
| -static | Suffix | keeping stable; stopping |
| -staxis | Suffix | dripping; oozing of blood |
| -stenosis | Suffix | abnormal narrowing |
| -taxia | Suffix | coordination; order |
| -tension | Suffix | pressure |
| -therapy | Suffix | treatment |
| -thermia | Suffix | heat; temperature condition |
| -tic | Suffix | pertaining to |
| -tocia | Suffix | labor; childbirth condition |
| -tome | Suffix | instrument for cutting |
| -tonia | Suffix | tone; tension |
| -toxic | Suffix | poisonous to |
| -tripsy | Suffix | surgical crushing |
| -trophy | Suffix | nourishment; development |
| -tropic | Suffix | acting on; attracted to |
| -tropin | Suffix | hormone that stimulates |
| -uria | Suffix | urine condition |
| -version | Suffix | turning |
MedicalVideos.com
Medical Suffixes — printable sheet
https://www.medicalvideos.com/medical-terminology/suffixes/
Full searchable guide: https://www.medicalvideos.com/medical-terminology/
Medical Suffixes — printable sheet
https://www.medicalvideos.com/medical-terminology/suffixes/
Full searchable guide: https://www.medicalvideos.com/medical-terminology/
Medical Suffixes — MedicalVideos.com
-acusis — hearing condition
-agra — severe pain; gouty pain
-algia — pain
-asthenia — weakness; lack of strength
-atrophy — wasting away; decrease in size
-blast — immature cell; germ cell
-capnia — carbon dioxide in the blood
-cele — hernia; swelling
-centesis — surgical puncture to remove fluid
-cide — agent that kills
-clasis — surgical breaking
-clast — cell that breaks down
-crine — to secrete
-cyesis — pregnancy
-cyte — cell
-cytosis — increase in cells
-derm — skin; layer
-desis — surgical binding; fusion
-dipsia — thirst
-drome — that which runs together; syndrome pattern
-dynia — pain
-dystrophy — abnormal development; degeneration
-ectasis — dilation; expansion
-ectomy — surgical removal; excision
-ectopia — displacement; out of place
-edema — swelling from fluid
-emesis — vomiting
-emia — blood condition
-esis — condition; action
-esthesia — sensation; feeling
-form — resembling; shape of
-fuge — agent that expels; drives away
-gen — producer; substance that produces
-genesis — production; origin
-genic — produced by; producing
-gram — a record; a written result
-graph — instrument for recording
-graphy — process of recording
-gravida — pregnant woman
-ia — condition
-iasis — abnormal condition; infestation
-iatry — medical treatment; specialty
-ism — condition; process
-ist — specialist
-itis — inflammation
-ium — structure; tissue; element
-keratosis — horny growth; thickened skin condition
-kinesia — movement
-lalia — speech condition
-lepsy — seizure; attack
-lexia — reading; words
-lith — stone; calculus
-lithiasis — condition of stones
-lysis — separation; breakdown; loosening
-lytic — destroying; breaking down
-malacia — abnormal softening
-mania — excessive preoccupation; madness
-megaly — enlargement
-meter — instrument for measuring
-metry — process of measuring
-mimetic — mimicking
-mnesia — memory condition
-necrosis — tissue death
-nomy — system of laws; body of knowledge
-oid — resembling
-ologist — specialist in the study of
-ology — study of
-oma — tumor; mass
-opia — vision condition
-orexia — appetite
-osis — abnormal condition; increase
-osmia — smell; sense of smell
-ostomy — surgical creation of an opening
-otomy — surgical incision; cutting into
-para — woman who has given birth
-paresis — partial paralysis; weakness
-partum — childbirth; labor
-pathy — disease
-penia — deficiency; decrease
-pepsia — digestion
-pexy — surgical fixation
-phagia — eating; swallowing
-phasia — speech condition
-phobia — persistent fear
-phonia — voice condition
-phoria — feeling; state of bearing
-phyma — tumor; growth
-phyte — plant; growth
-plakia — plaque; patch
-plasia — formation; development
-plasm — formed substance; tissue
-plasty — surgical repair
-plegia — paralysis
-pnea — breathing
-poiesis — formation; production
-ptosis — drooping; falling; prolapse
-ptysis — spitting
-rrhage — bursting forth; excessive flow
-rrhagia — excessive flow; bleeding
-rrhaphy — surgical suturing
-rrhea — flow; discharge
-rrhexis — rupture
-sarcoma — malignant tumor of connective tissue
-schisis — split; cleft
-sclerosis — abnormal hardening
-scope — instrument for visual examination
-scopy — visual examination
-sepsis — infection; putrefaction
-sis — state of; condition
-somnia — sleep condition
-spasm — involuntary contraction
-stasis — stopping; controlling; standing still
-static — keeping stable; stopping
-staxis — dripping; oozing of blood
-stenosis — abnormal narrowing
-taxia — coordination; order
-tension — pressure
-therapy — treatment
-thermia — heat; temperature condition
-tic — pertaining to
-tocia — labor; childbirth condition
-tome — instrument for cutting
-tonia — tone; tension
-toxic — poisonous to
-tripsy — surgical crushing
-trophy — nourishment; development
-tropic — acting on; attracted to
-tropin — hormone that stimulates
-uria — urine condition
-version — turning
Printed from https://www.medicalvideos.com/medical-terminology/suffixes/ · Full searchable guide: https://www.medicalvideos.com/medical-terminology/ · Educational reference only.
Please note: This section teaches the language of medicine — what word parts mean and how terms are built. It is an educational reference, not medical advice. For the meaning of a word in your own medical record, ask the clinician who wrote it.