Unit 12 Suffixes

Suffix Definition
–al pertaining to
–algia pain
–ar pertaining to
–ation word ending that turns a verb into a noun
–cele hernia
–centesis puncture
–cide substance which kills
–cyte cell
–dynia pain
–ectomy cutting out of
–facient substance that promotes a process
–gen arising from
–genesis the process of creating
–genic giving rise to
–gram a record of a test or procedure
–graph instrument for recording a procedure
–graphy a test or procedure
–ia disease
–ial pertaining to
–ian pertaining to
–iasis presence of an abnormality
–ic pertaining to
–iferous having, bearing, or containing
–in name for a protein
–ine pertaining to
(also a chemical name ending, depending on the context)
–ing verb ending that makes the continuous tense
–ion word ending that turns a verb into a noun
–ism belief; process word ending
–itis inflammation
–ity turns a noun into a state of being
–ium anatomical structure
–ize turns a noun into a verb
–logist one who studies
–logy study of
–lysis breaking down; destroying
–lytic substance that causes a breakdown or destruction
–megaly enlargement due to disease
–metry the act of measuring
–oma tumor
–osis process
–pathy disease process
–pexy surgical fixation
–plasia the process of molding or growing
–plasty surgical revision
–ptosis drooping
–rrhage bursting forth
–rrhagia bursting forth in disease
–rrhaphy suturing
–rrhea abnormal flow
–rrhexis rupture
–scope instrument for looking inside
–scopy the process of looking inside
–stenosis abnormal narrowing of an opening
–stomy creating an opening with surgery
–tion word ending that turns a verb into a noun
–tomy cutting
–trop influencing the activity of
–ula
–ule
diminutive suffix
–um
–us
anatomical structure word ending
–y disease
–zoa
–zoon
living thing

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