What does -lepsy mean in medical terms?

-lepsy

Meaning: seizure; attack

Type: Suffix

A suffix goes at the very end of a word, after the root. On this page: what -lepsy means, and real medical words that use it, each broken down into its parts.

Example words using -lepsy

epilepsy
epi (upon) + -lepsy (seizure) = disorder with recurring seizures
narcolepsy
narco (numbness/sleep) + -lepsy (attack) = disorder with sudden sleep attacks

Shortened forms

Charts and notes shorten long terms — see the Medical Abbreviations guide for the short forms you will meet in real records.

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.