Understanding Medical Suffixes and Their Meanings

Jan 16, 2025

Lecture Notes on Medical Suffixes

Word Components

  • Suffix: End of the word.
  • Prefix: Beginning of the word.
  • Root: Middle of the word.

Common Medical Suffixes

1. -emia

  • Refers to blood.
  • Anemia: Reduced oxygen capacity in blood (an = without, emia = blood).
  • Polycythemia: Many red cells in the blood, pathological increase.
  • Leukemia: Malignant proliferation of white blood cells, or leukocytes.
  • Myoglobinemia: Myoglobin in blood due to muscle damage.

2. -stasis

  • Refers to a state of not moving.
  • Cholestasis: Bile not flowing properly.
  • Amoebiasis: Infection with amoeba.
  • Atelectasis: Collapse of small airways.

3. -ectomy

  • Means removal of something.
  • Appendectomy: Removal of appendix.
  • Colectomy: Removal of colon.
  • Polypectomy: Removal of polyps.
  • Nephrectomy: Surgical removal of a kidney.

4. -emesis

  • Related to vomiting.
  • Emetic: Induces vomiting.
  • Anti-emetic: Reduces vomiting and nausea.
  • Hematemesis: Blood in vomit.

5. -itis

  • Means inflammation of.
  • Conjunctivitis: Inflammation of the conjunctiva.
  • Tonsillitis: Inflammation of the tonsils.
  • Gastritis: Inflammation of the stomach.

6. -ism

  • Indicates action or state of.
  • Embolism: Presence of embolus in a vessel.
  • Priaprism: Sustained, often painful, erection not related to sexual excitement.

7. -megaly

  • Abnormal enlargement.
  • Cardiomegaly: Enlargement of the heart.
  • Splenomegaly: Enlargement of the spleen.
  • Hepatomegaly: Enlargement of the liver.

8. -ology

  • Study of or science of.
  • Pathology: Study of diseases.
  • Cardiology: Study of the heart.
  • Neurology: Study of the nervous system.

9. -oma

  • Refers to a lump or tumor.
  • Hematoma: Pool of blood, often after injury.
  • Adenoma: Tumor in glandular tissue.
  • Lipoma: Lump in fatty tissue.

10. -ostomy

  • Creation of an artificial opening.
  • Tracheostomy: Opening into the trachea.
  • Ileostomy: Opening into the ileum.

11. -otomy

  • Incision into or cutting into.
  • Laparotomy: Opening into the abdomen.
  • Craniotomy: Opening into the cranial cavity.

12. -paresis

  • Refers to weakness.
  • Hemiparesis: Weakness in one half of the body.
  • Paraparesis: Weakness of both legs.

13. -phagia

  • Related to eating.
  • Dysphagia: Difficulty or painful eating or swallowing.
  • Aphasia: Inability to eat.

14. -phasia

  • Related to speech.
  • Dysphasia: Difficulty speaking.
  • Aphasia: Loss of speech.

15. -plegia

  • Refers to paralysis.
  • Hemiplegia: Paralysis of one side of the body.
  • Paraplegia: Paralysis of the legs.
  • Quadriplegia/Tetraplegia: Paralysis of all four limbs.

16. -pnea

  • Related to breathing.
  • Dyspnea: Difficulty breathing.
  • Apnea: Not breathing.
  • Tachypnea: Rapid breathing.

17. -rhea

  • Refers to flow.
  • Diarrhea: Loose flowing stool.
  • Rhinorrhea: Runny nose.

18. -scopi

  • Means to look or observe.
  • Endoscopy: Looking inside the body.
  • Gastroscopy: Looking into the stomach.

19. -tension

  • Refers to pressure.
  • Hypertension: High blood pressure.

20. -thermia

  • Refers to temperature.
  • Hypothermia: Low body temperature.
  • Hyperthermia: High body temperature.

21. -trophy

  • Related to nourishment.
  • Atrophy: Wasting away of tissue.
  • Hypertrophy: Increase in cell size.

22. -uria

  • Refers to urine.
  • Hematuria: Blood in urine.
  • Anuria: No urine production.

23. -vol

  • Related to volume.
  • Hypovolemia: Low blood volume.

These suffixes help in understanding medical terms related to conditions, procedures, and anatomical references.

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