Chapter One: Word Elements, Prefixes and Suffixes

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1 Chapter One: Word Elements, Prefixes and Suffixes

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Basic Word Elements

There are three basic word elements: prefix, word root (with a combining vowel), and suffix. Not all medical terms contain all three of these elements and some terms contain more than one of each element. At first, this may seem confusing, but it will make sense as the course progresses.

A prefix is located at the beginning of a word. As mentioned before, some medical terms will not contain a prefix. When there is a prefix, the prefix serves to modify the word in some manner. Prefixes usually signify a number, time, position, direction, or negation (absence of).

Let’s look at some examples:

Perhaps you are familiar with the terms prenatal and postnatal. Nat/o is the main part of the word, or combining form, which means birth. Pre- is a prefix which means before. Post- is a prefix that means after. When you put these meanings together, prenatal means before birth and postnatal means after birth.

Another example is febrile, which means with fever. If you add the prefix, a- to febrile, the meaning of the word is completely changed because a- means without. Therefore, afebrile means without or no fever.

As you can see, the prefix can completely change the meaning of a word. Therefore, it is very important to learn the meanings of prefixes to correctly interpret medical terms.

Both prefixes and suffixes are combined with the other basic element of a medical word – the word root/combining form.

Defining Medical Words

After you learn prefixes, suffixes, and the word roots related to the various body systems, you will be able to roughly define the medical term by defining the various word parts. In general, you will define the word parts in the following order:

Define the suffix or last part of the word first.

Next, define the first part of the word which may be a word root or a prefix.

Finally, define the middle part(s) of the word.

So, let’s put that into other words. Define the words in this order:

last

first

middle

As an example, look at the word macro/card/ia. Define the suffix or last part of the word first. In this case, –ia means a condition. Next, define the first part of the word which in this case is a prefix, macro-. Macro- means large. Next, define the middle part of the word which in this case is a word root, card. Card means heart. When put together, you get the definition for macro/card/ia: a condition of a large heart. The definitions sometimes have to be refined, but you can use the last, first, middle method of defining a medical term to get a good sense of what the word means.

Building Medical Words

Convention has us follow three rules for building medical words. Those rules are:

A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.

A combining form (WR + CV) links a suffix that begins with a consonant.

When combining two word-roots (which makes a compound word), link them together using the combining form (i.e., the first word root will have a combining vowel added to it that links it to the second word-root).

Let’s take the suffix -itis which means inflammation. The suffix begins with a vowel, so the preceding word root does not use a combining vowel to link it. As an example, take the word root gastr– which means stomach. Link the word root and suffix and you get gastritis. Note that the word does not use the combining vowel “o” to link gastr- and -itis. In other words, the word is not gastroitis.

When the suffix begins with a consonant, use a combining form of the word root (which is the WR + CV) to link to the suffix. Take the suffix –dynia which means pain. The suffix begins with a consonant, so the preceding word root must be in its combining form (WR + CV) in order to properly link the two. As an example, for the word root ot- which means ear, you must add a combining vowel (o) linking it to the suffix, –dynia. You get the word otodynia (ot/o/dynia) which means pain in the ear, or earache. Note the word is not otdynia. It is important to note that in most instances, the combining vowel used to make combining forms is the letter o. There are instances, however, where other vowels will be used.

Finally, you often build compound words in your daily life. An example is base+ball, or baseball. Another example is chalk+board, or chalkboard. When building compound words, you are simply putting two words together to make a new word. In medical terminology, you also will build compound words. In most cases, linking the word roots in medical words to make a compound word requires adding a combining vowel. Here is an example: osteoarthritis (oste/o/arthr/itis). The word roots oste (bone) and arthr (joint) are linked with the combining vowel “o”. To define the word you just built, define the last part first and then the beginning of the word and subsequent terms in order. Following this guideline, osteoarthritis is defined as inflammation (itis) of the bone (oste) and joint (arthr).

Don’t worry if you are still a little bit confused about this process. As we learn more terms and work through the activities, this will become more clear. Eventually, you should feel confident about your ability to build and define medical terms based on their word parts.

One last word of caution: although knowledge of the various parts of medical terms will give you a general idea of the meaning of the term, a medical dictionary will usually provide more detail and specific information relating to the term. For example, the term “appendicitis” can be defined as inflammation of the appendix by its word parts –itis (inflammation) and appendic/o (appendix). If you look it up in a medical dictionary – in this case, Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 20th edition, the word is defined as “Inflammation of the vermiform appendix, caused by blockage of the lumen of the appendix and following by infection. It may be acute, subacute, or chronic and occasionally is difficult to diagnose because many other illnesses may cause acute abdominal pain.” As you can see, the medical dictionary provides important additional information.

Pronunciation

The pronunciation of medical terms can be challenging. Medical dictionaries can be very helpful in providing pronunciation guides. Most dictionaries include phonetic pronunciation in parentheses after the word. The following are some general pronunciation guidelines:

Letters	Guidelines
ae, oe	Pronounce only the ē (long e)
es	May be pronounced as a separate syllable when located at the end of a word
g	Pronounce as “j” when located before “e” “i” and “y” Pronounce as “g” when located before other letters
c	Pronounce as “s” when located before “e” “i” and “y” Pronounce as “k” when located before other letters
i	When located at the end of a word, it generally indicates a pleural. Pronounce as a long i or long e
pn	Pronounce only the “n” (the “p” is silent)
ps	Pronounce only the “s” (the “p” is silent)

There are also several online resources that can help you with pronunciation. Word of caution: Different providers may pronounce terms differently, depending on where they attended medical school and/or what country they are from.

Pleural Endings

Medical terminology also has different rules for pleural endings. The following is a list of common pleural endings.

Terms ending with “a”	Add e (ae)
Terms ending with “is”	Change to “es”
Terms ending with “ex” or “ix”	Change to “ices”
Terms ending with “on”	Change to “a”
Terms ending with “um”	Change to “a”
Terms ending with “us”	Change to “i”
Terms ending with “itis”	Change to “idites”
Terms ending with “nx”	Change to “nges”
Terms ending with “y”	Change to “ies”
Terms ending with “x”	Change to “ces”

Prefixes

What is a prefix?

P = prefix or word element that is added to the beginning of the word root.

Some medical terms have prefixes while others do not. If they are present, they are added before the word root. It is important to note that adding a prefix changes the meaning of the word root. Prefixes usually signify a number, time, position, direction or negation

Note: When writing a prefix, use a hyphen after the prefix to indicate it is a prefix and a word element will follow the prefix. Examples include bi- (which means two), macro- (which means large), and micro- (which means small).

List of Common Prefixes

The following is a list of common prefixes. Although different medical terminology books may have slightly different lists and slightly different meanings, the following is a fairly inclusive list.

Prefix	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example
a- an-	ā ăn	without, absence of, lack of	afebrile (without fever)
ab-	ăb	away from	abduction (away from the midline of the body)
ad-	ăd	toward, near	adductioni (toward the midline of the body)
ambi-	ăm-bē	both sides	ambidextrous (using both hands)
ante-	ăn-tē	before, forward, in front of	antemortem (before death)
anti-	ăn-tē	against	antidote (a therapeutic substance that counteracts the actions of a different substance)
apo-	ā-pō	off, away from, separated from, derived from	apomorphine (a morphine derivative formed by removing one molecule of water from the morphine molecule)
auto-	ăw-tō	self	autobiography (an account of someone’s life written by that person)
bi-	bī	two, both	bilateral (both sides of the body)
brady-	bră-dē	slow	bradycardia (pertaining to slow heart beat)
circum-	sĕr-kŭm	around	circumflex (bending around)
con-	kŏn	together, with	congenital (present at birth, born together)
contra-	kŏn-trŭh	against, opposite	contraception (the prevention of conception)
de-	dē	without, down, from	deactivation (process of making something inactive)
di-	dī	twice, two, double	diacidic (containing two acidic hydrogen ions)
dia-	dī-ŭh	through, across	diameter (the measure from one point to its opposite point)
diplo-	dĭ-plō	double	diploia (double vision)
dys-	dĭs	painful, difficult, abnormal	dysthyroid (abnormal thyroid functioning)
ec- ecto-	ĕk ĕk-tō	out, outside	ectoderm (the outermost layer of cells of an embryo in the early stages of development)
en- end- endo-	ĕn ĕnd ĕn-dō	in, within, inner, inside	endobiotic (pertaining to an organism living parasitidcally in the host)
epi-	ĕ-pē	above, upon	epigastric (pertaining to above the stomach)
eso-	ĕ-sō	inward	esophoria (tendency of the eyes to deviate inward)
eu-	ū	good, normal	euphoric (pertaining to good feelings)
ex- exo- extra-	ĕks ĕk-sō ĕk-stră	away from, outside, outwards, external	extrapleural (pertaining to the outside of the pleura or pleural cavity)
hemi-	hĕm-ē	half	hemiplegia (paralysis on one side of the body)
hetero-	hĕt-ĕr-ō	different	heterosexuality (attraction between persons of the opposite sex)
homo-	hō-mō	same	homosexuality (attraction between persons of the same sex)
hyper-	hī-pĕr	excessive, above	hypertension (high blood pressure)
hypo-	hī-pō	deficient, below	hypotension (low blood pressure)
in-	ĭn	without, not, absence of, in, within, inner	inhalation (breathing in)
infra-	ĭn-fră	beneath, below	Inframarginal (pertaining to below any margin or edge)
inter-	ĭn-tĕr	between	intervertebral (pertaining to between the vertebrae)
intra-	ĭn-trŭh	in, within, inner	intramuscular (pertaining to within the muscle)
iso-	ī-sō	same, equal	isoenergetic (pertaining to exerting equal force)
juxta-	jŭks-tŭh	near	juxtaglomerular (pertaining to close or adjoining a renal glomerulus)
macro-	mă-krō	large	macroglossia (pertaining to the enlargement of the tongue)
mal-	măl	bad, abnormal, inadequate	malnourished (inadequately nourished)
mega-	mā-gŭh	great, large	megacephaly (an abnormally large head)
meta-	mĕ-tŭh	change, beyond	metachromatism (condition regarding any color change)
micro-	mī-krō	small	microcolon (small colon)
mono-	mŏ-nō	one, single	monochromatic (pertaining to having only one color)
morpho-	mŏr-fō	shape	morphology (study of the configuration or structure of plants and animals)
multi-	mŭl-tē	many, much	multigravidia (pregnant woman who has been pregnant one or more times previously)
neo-	nē-ō	new	Neonatal (pertaining to the period of time just after birth; newborn)
nulli-	nŭl-ĭ	none	nullipara (woman who has never borne a child)
oligo-	ŏ-lĕ-gō	deficiency, scanty, little	oliguria (condition of abnormally low excretion of urine)
pan-	păn	all	pantalgia (pain involving the entire body)
para-	pă-rŭh	beside, near	paracystic (pertaining to alongside or near the urinary bladder)
peri-	pă-rĭ	beside, near, around, about	periapical (pertaining to at or around the apex of the root of a tooth)
poly-	pŏ-lē	many, much	polydipsia (extreme thirst)
post-	pōst	after, following	postpartum (after childbirth)
pre-	prē	before	precancer (growth or group of cells which is not currently malignant but may become cancerous)
pseudo-	soo-dō	false, deceptive	pseudodementia (condition of exaggerated indifference to people and surroundings but without any actual mental impairment)
quadri-	kwă-drĕ	four	quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs)
re-	rē	behind, back, again	reactivate (to render active again)
retro-	rĕ-trō	behind, back	retrojection (the washing out of a cavity by the backward flow of an injected fluid)
semi-	sĕ-mē	partial, half	semicomatose (mild coma in which a patient can be awoken)
sub-	sŭb	below, beneath, under, less than	subcutaneous (under the skin)
super-	soo-pĕr	excessive, above, in the upper part	superficial (located near the surface of the body)
supra-	soo-prŭh	excessive, above, upon	supracostal (pertaining to above the ribs)
syn-	sĭn	with, together	syndrome (a group of symptoms regularly occurring together and constituting a disease)
tachy-	tă-kē	rapid	tachycardia (condition of a rapid heart beat)
tetra-	tĕ-trŭh	four	tetrapeptide (a compound of four amino acids)
tox-	tŏks	poison, toxin	toxicity (the state of being poisonous)
trans-	trănz	through, across	transurethral (pertaining to across the urethra)
tri-	trī	three	triad (a collection of three things having something in common)
ultra-	ŭl-trŭh	beyond, extreme	ultraviolet (denoting the electromagnetic rays beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum)
un-	ŭn	not, reversal, removal	unconscious (not conscious)
uni-	ū-nĭ	one	unilateral (pertaining to one side of the body)

As you study these prefixes, you will find some familiar terms. It can be helpful to associate the prefixes with words you already know to help the learning process. Many prefixes have the same or similar meanings and it can be helpful to make note of those prefixes.

You may also notice that many of the prefixes can be categorized into one of the following groups:

Size, quantity, number

Location, direction, timing

It is highly recommended that you study these terms every day. Using tools, such as flashcards can help you retain the information. An easy way to make flashcards is to use a 3×5 card and write the prefix on one side and the definition on the other side. You may also want to use electronic flashcards via programs such as quizlet.com. The important thing is to find the method that works best for you and practice every day.

Suffixes

Suffixes are word endings. In other words, they are word parts that are added to the end of words. They are added to the end of a medical term. Suffixes are connected or linked to word roots often by a combining vowel. The combining vowel is typically o, but it might also be any one of the other vowels.

When the suffix begins with a vowel, the word root is linked simply by itself (no combining vowel such as o will be used). An example is gastr/itis. Since –itis begins with a vowel, the combining vowel is not required. When the suffix begins with a consonant, a combining vowel is used to link the word root to the suffix. An example is gastr/o/logy. Since -logy begins with a consonant, a combining vowel is used to connect the two word-parts.

Like prefixes, suffixes convey meaning, so they can alter the meaning of the word root. Suffixes usually denote either a procedure, condition, disease, or a part of speech.

Note: When writing only the suffix, use a dash before it. In the examples used above, the suffix, “itis” would be written as –itis and the suffix “logy” would be written as –logy. The hyphen indicates there is another word element that precedes the suffix.

List of Common Suffixes

The following is a list of common suffixes. Although different medical terminology books may have slightly different lists and slightly different meanings, the following is a fairly inclusive list

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Suffix	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example
-ac	ăk	pertaining to	cardiac (pertaining to the heart)
-acusia -acusis	a-koo-zē-ŭh a-koo-sĭs	hearing	Anacusis (total loss of hearing)
-al	ăl	pertaining to	renal (pertaining to the kidneys)
-algesia -algesic -algia	ăl-jē-zē-ŭh ăl-jē-zē-ĭk ăl-jē-ŭh	pain	neuralgia (a spasm of pain running along a nerve)
-ar	ăr	pertaining to	ventricular (pertaining to a ventricle)
-ary	ăr-ē	pertaining to	coronary (pertaining to the heart)
-cele	sēl	hernia	vesicocele (hernia of the bladder)
-centesis	sĕn-tē-sĭs	surgical puncture	thoracentesis (surgical puncture into the chest/pleural cavity)
-cidal -cide	sī-dăl sīd	destroying, killing	bactericide (a substance that kills bacteria)
-clasis -clast	klăs-ĭs klăst	to break	lithoclast (breaking or crushing a stone)
-constriction	kŏn-strĭk-shŭn	narrowing	vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels)
-cusis	koo-sĭs	hearing	presbycusis (loss of hearing as part of the aging process)
-cyte -cytic	sīt sī-tĭk	cell	leukocyte (white blood cell)
-cytosis	sī-tō-sĭs	an abnormal condition of cells	leukocytosis (an abnormally large number increase of white blood cells)
-derma	dĕr-mŭh	skin	scleroderma (thickening of the skin with eventual atrophy of the epidermis)
-desis	dē-sĭs	surgical fixation or binding of bone or joint	arthrodesis (binding together or surgical stiffening of a joint)
-dipsia	dĭp-sē-ŭh	thirst	polydipsia (excessive thirst)
-dynia	dĭn-ē-ŭh	pain	urodynia (pain when urinating)
-eal	ē-ăl	pertaining to	appendiceal (pertaining to an appendix)
-ectasis	ĕk-tă-sĭs	dilation	bronchiectasis (dilation of the bronchi)
-ectomy	ĕk-tō-mē	excision, surgical removal	splenectomy (surgical removal of the spleen)
-edema	ĕ-dē-mŭh	swelling (usually due to excessive fluid in the tissues)	angioedema (fluid build-up of the vessels under the skin)
-emesis	ĕ-mĕ-sĭs	vomiting	hematemesis (vomiting of blood)
-emia	ē-mē-ŭh	a condition of the blood	hypoglycemia (condition of low blood sugar)
-esthesia	ĕs-thē-zē-ŭh	sensation	anesthesia (a state characterized by loss of feeling either from administration of a chemical agent or disease pathology)
-gen -genesis -genic -genous	jĕn jĕn-ĕ-sĭs jēn-ĭk jēn-ŭs	creating, producing, coming to be	ovogenesis (creation of an ovum)
-gram	grăm	record	angiogram (record of the size, shape, and location of the heart and blood vessels)
-graph	grăf	recording instrument	radiograph (the sensitized film/plate used to create radiographic images)
-graphy	gră-fē	process of recording	angiography (diagnostic or therapeutic radiography procedure of the heart and blood vessels)
-gravida	gră-vĭ-dŭh	pregnant woman	multigravidia (pregnant woman who has been pregnant one or more times previously)
-ia	ē-ŭh	condition	myasthenia (condition of absence of muscle strength)
-ial	ē-ăl	pertaining to	intracranial (pertaining to within the cranium or skull)
-iasis	ī-ŭh-sĭs	pathological condition or state	nephrolithiasis (pathological condition or disease in which stones are present in the kidneys)
-iatrics	ī-ŭh-trĭks	field of medicine	pediatrics (medical specialty concerned with the development and care of children)
-iatrist -ist	ī-ŭh-trĭst ĭst	specialist	psychiatrist (specialist in the field of psychiatry)
-iatry	ī-ŭh-trē	field of medicine	psychiatry (medical specialty concerned with mental disorders and diseases)
-ic	ĭk	pertaining to	gastric (pertaining to the stomach)
-ical	ĭ-kăl	pertaining to	cervical (pertaining to the neck or cervix)
-ician	ĭ-shŭn	specialist	clinician (health professional or specialist engaged in clinical practice)
-ism	ĭ-zŭm	condition, state of	hypothyroidism (condition in which there are inadequate levels of thyroid hormone)
-itis	ī-tĭs	inflammation	colitis (inflammation of the colon)
-kinesia -kinesis	kĭ-nē-zē-ŭh kĭ-nē-sĭs	movement	hypokinesia (decreased motor movement/reaction to stimulus)
-lepsy -leptic	lĕp-sē lĕp-tĭk	seizure	epileptic (relating to or suffering from epileptic seizures)
-lith	lĭth	stone	nephrolith (kidney stone)
-logist -ologist	lō-jĭst ŏl-ō-jĭst	specialist in the study of	pathologist (specialist who has been trained to examine tissues, cells, and specimens of body fluids for evidence of disease)
-logy -ology	lō-jē ŏl-ō-jē	study of	pathology (the study of the nature and cause of diease)
-lysis	lī-sĭs	destruction, to break down, to destroy	cytolysis (destruction of living cells)
-malacia	mŭh-lā-sē-ŭh	softening	tracheomalacia (degeneration of the elasticity and connective tissues of the trachea)
-megaly	mĕg-ŭh-lē	enlargement	gastromegaly (enlargement of the stomach)
-meter	mē-tĕr	measuring instrument	oximeter (an electronic device used to measure oxygen saturation)
-metry	mĕ-trē	measurement	oximetry (the measurement of oxygen saturation)
-necrosis	nĕ-krō-sĭs	tissue death	osteonecrosis (the death of a segment of bone)
-oid	ōĭd	resembling	lipoid (resembling fat)
-ole	ōl	small	arteriole (small artery)
-oma	ō-mŭh	tumor	lipoma (non-cancerous fatty tumor)
-opia -opsis -opsia -opsy	ō-pē-ŭh ŏp-sĭs ō-sē-ŭh ŏp-sē	vision	dysopsia (defective vision)
-ory	ōr-ē	pertaining to	respiratory (pertaining to respiration)
-osis	ō-sĭs	abnormal condition	anthracosis (abnormal condition of carbon in the lungs from inhaling coal dust)
-osmia	ŏz-mē-ŭh	smell, odor	dysosmia (distortion of normal smells)
-ous	oos	pertaining to	erythematous (pertaining to redness)
-oxia	ŏk-sē-ŭh	oxygen	anoxia (no oxygen)
-paresis	pŭh-rē-sĭs	slight or partial paralysis, weakness	Monoparesis (weakness affecting one limb)
-partum	părt-ŭm	childbirth, labor	postpartum (after childbirth)
-pathy	pă-thē	disease	myopathy (disease of the muscle)
-pause	pawz	stopping	menopause (stopping menses)
-penia	pē-nē-ŭh	deficiency	leukopenia (abnormal decrease in white blood cells)
-pepsia	pĕp-sē-ŭh	digestion	hyperpepsia (abnormally rapid digestion)
-pexy	pĕk-sē	surgical fixation	enteropexy (fixation of a segment of the intestine to the abdominal wall)
-phage -phagia	fāj fāj-ē-ŭh	eating, swallowing	macrophage (a large white blood cell that “eats” particles, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites)
-phasia	fāz-ē-ŭh	speech	dysphasia (inability to arrange words in an understandable way)
-phobia	fō-bē-ŭh	fear	aerophobia (abnormal and extreme dread of fresh air or air in motion)
-plasia -plasm	plā-zē-ŭh plă-zŭm	formation, growth	neoplasm (an abnormal tissue that grows more rapidly than normal)
-plastic	plăs-tĭk	pertaining to formation, growth	anaplastic (relating to growing without form or structure)
-plasty	plăs-tē	surgical repair	rhinoplasty (repair of a partial or complete defect of the nose)
-plegia	plē-jē-ŭh	paralysis	hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body)
-plegic	plē-jĭk	pertaining to paralysis	hemiplegic (pertaining to hemiplegia)
-pnea	nē-ŭh	breathing	orthopnea (discomfort when breathing, partially or completely relieved by sitting or standing)
-pneic	nē-ĭk	pertaining to breathing	hypopneic (breathing that is slower or more shallow than normal)
-prandial	prăn-dē-ăl	meal	postprandial (after eating a meal)
-ptosis	tō-sĭs	drooping, prolapse, downward displacement	gastroptosis (downward displacement of the stomach)
-rrhage -rrhagia	rĭj ră-jē-ŭh	bursting forth	metrorrhagia (any irregular bleeding from the uterus between periods)
-rrhaphy	ră-fē	suture, suturing	hysterorrhaphy (sutural repair of a lacerated uterus)
-rrhea	rē-ŭh	flow, discharge	diarrhea (an abnormally frequent discharge of fluid fecal matter from the bowel)
-rrhexis	rĕk-sĭs	rupture	colporrhexis (rupture or tearing of the abdominal wall)
-salpinx	săl-pĭnks	tube (fallopian or eustachean)	myosalpinx (the muscular tissue of the fallopian tube)
-sclerosis	sklĕr-ō-sĭs	abnormal condition of hardening	arteriosclerosis (disease of the arterial vessels marked by thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity in the arterial walls)
-scope	skōp	viewing instrument	endoscope (a device used to observe the inside of a hollow organ, cavity or tissue plane)
-scopy	skō-pē	visual examination	endoscopy (visual examination of body organs or cavities using an endoscope)
-spasm	spă-zŭm	sudden, involuntary contracture	vasospasm (spasm of a blood vessel)
-stasis		cessation, stopping	homeostasis (the state of dynamic equilibrium)
-static	stă-tĭk	at rest	hemostatic (arresting or stopping a hemorrhage)
-stenosis	stĕ-nō-sĭs	narrowing, stricture	urethrostenosis (narrowing of the urethra)
-stomy	stō-mē	mouthlike opening	colostomy (the opening of a portion of the colon through the abdominal wall)
-therapy	thĕr-ŭh-pē	treatment	immunotherapy (the use of natural and synthetic substances to stimnulate or suppress the immune response)
-thorax	thōr-ăks	chest	hemothorax (blood in the pleural cavity)
-tic	tĭk	pertaining to	paracytic (pertaining to cells other than those normally present)
-tocia	tō-sē-ŭh	childbirth, labor	dystocia (slow or difficult labor)
-tome	tōm	cutting instrument	dermatome (an instrument use to cut thin slices of skin for transplantation)
-tomy	tō-mē	cutting into, incision	episiotomy (surgical incision of the vulva to prevent laceration at the time of delivery or to facilitate vaginal surgery)
-tous	tŭs	pertaining to	epitheliomatous (pertaining to the epithelioma)
-tripsy	trĭp-sē	crushing	lithotripsy (the process of breaking up kidney or gallbladder stones into small fragments)
-trophy	trō-fē	nourishment, growth	hypertrophy (an increase in the number or size of cells)
-ule	ūl	small	macule (a stain, a speck on the surface of the skin – freckle)
-uresis	ū-rē-sĭs	urination	enuresis (bedwetting – involuntary passage of urine, usually occurring at night or during sleep)
-uria	ū-rē-ŭh	urine	oliguria (small amount of urine output – less than 400 ml/day)

Most suffixes fall into one of the following general categories:

Action/movement

Diseases/disorders/conditions

Instruments

Procedures/treatments

Sensory/feelings

Specialties/specialists

There are 12 suffixes that mean “pertaining to.” These include:

-ac

-al

-ar

-ary

-eal

-ial

-ic

-ical

-ory

-ous

-tic

-tous

Some students have difficulty remembering all of these. Do your best, but be sure NOT to confuse –ia with the 12 suffixes that mean “pertaining to.” The meaning of –ia is condition.

Another area in which students sometimes become confused when learning suffixes are the differences between –graph and –graphy, -meter and –metry, -scope and –scopy, and –tome and –tomy. One way to help you remember is that the words that mean a procedure end with “y” while the words that refer to instruments end with a different letter.

-graph	recording instrument
-graphy	process of recording
-meter	measuring instrument
-metry	measurement
-scope	viewing instrument
-scopy	visual examination
-tome	cutting instrument
-tomy	cutting into, incision

Although the “p” is silent in suffixes such as –pnea, -pneic, and –ptosis, it can be helpful to add “pŭh” before the actual pronunciation when you practice memorizing these terms so you don’t forget about the “p.” Just keep in mind that the “p” is actually silent.

As you reviewed the list of suffixes and the examples provided, you may have noticed that some of the examples consisted only of a prefix and suffix while others contained word roots. For now, do not worry about the word roots. You will learn them as we study each body system. The examples were provided to help you recognize how the various word elements work together to build medical terms.