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Appendix H: Suffix and Prefix Master List

Introduction

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SUFFIXES THAT INDICATE MEDICAL SPECIALTY
Suffix Pronunciation Meaning
-iatrics,-iatry ī-ă-trĭks, ī-ă-trē field of medicine
-iatrist,-ician,-ist ī-ă-trĭst, ĭ-shŭn, ĭst specialist
-logist,-ologist lō-jĭst, ŏl-ō-jĭst specialist in the study of
-logy,-ology lō-jē, ŏl-ō-jē study of

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SUFFIXES THAT INDICATE SURGERIES, PROCEDURES, OR TREATMENTS
Suffix Pronunciation Meaning
-centesis sĕn-tē-sĭs surgical puncture
-cidal,-cide sī-dăl, sīd destroying, killing
-desis dē-sĭs surgical fixation of bone or joint, binding, tying together
-dilation dī-lā-shŭn widening, stretching, expanding
-ectomy ĕk-tō-mē excision, surgical removal
-graphy gră-fē process of recording
-metry mĕ-trē measurement
-pexy pĕk-sē surgical fixation
-plasty plăs-tē surgical repair
-rrhaphy ră-fē suture, suturing
-scopy skō-pē visual examination
-therapy thĕr-ă-pē treatment
-tomy tō-mē cutting into, incision
-tripsy trĭp-sē crushing

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SUFFIXES THAT INDICATE SENSORY EXPERIENCE, SENSATION, OR SUBJECTIVE FEELING
Suffix Pronunciation Meaning
-acusia,-acusis,-cusis a-koo-zē-ă, ă-koo-sĭs, koo-sĭs hearing
-algesia,-algesic,-algia,-dynia ăl-jē-zē-ă, ăl-jē-zĭk, ăl-jē-ă, dĭ-nē-ă pain
-dipsia dĭp-sē-ă thirst
-esthesia ĕs-thē-zē-ă sensation
-opia,-opsia,-opsis,-opsy ō-pē-ă, ōp-sē-ă, ŏp-sĭs, ŏp-sē vision, view of
-osmia ŏz-mē-ă smell, odor
-phobia fō-bē-ă fear
-phoria fō-rē-ă feeling

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SUFFIXES THAT INDICATE ACTION OR MOVEMENT
Suffix Pronunciation Meaning
-clasis,-clast klăs-ĭs, klăst to break
-ectasis ĕk-tă-sĭs dilation, expansion
-emesis ĕm-ĕ-sĭs vomiting

-gen,

-genesis,

-genic,

-genous

 jĕn, jĕn-ĕ-sĭs, jĕn-ĭk, jēn-ŭs creating, producing

-kinesia,

-kinesis

 kĭ-nē-zē-ă, kĭ-nē-sĭs movement
-lysis lĭ-sĭs destruction

-pause,

-stasis

 pawz, stă-sĭs cessation, stopping

-phage,

-phagia

 fāj, fā-jē-ă eating, swallowing
-phasia fā-zē-ă speech

-rrhage,

-rrhagia

 rĭj, ră-jē-ă bursting forth
-rrhea rē-ă flow, discharge
-rrhexis rĕk-sĭs rupture
-spasm spă-zŭm sudden involuntary contraction
-uresis ū-rē-sĭs urination

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SUFFIXES THAT INDICATE DISEASES, DISORDERS, OR CONDITIONS
Suffix Pronunciation Meaning
-cele sēl hernia
-constriction kŏn-strĭk-shŭn narrowing
-cytosis sī-tō-sĭs a condition of cells
-derma dĕr-mă skin
-edema ĕ-dē-mă swelling
-emia ē-mē-ă a condition of the blood
-gravida gră-vĭ-dă pregnant woman
-ia,-ism ē-ă, ĭz-ŭm condition
-iasis ī-ă-sĭs pathological condition or state
-it is ī-tĭs inflammation
-lepsy,-leptic lĕp-sē, lĕp-tĭk seizure
-lith lĭth stone
-malacia mă-lā-sē-ă softening
-megaly mĕg-ă-lē enlargement
-necrosis nĕ-krō-sĭs tissue death
-oid oyd resembling
-oma ō-mă tumor
-osis ō-sĭs abnormal condition
-oxia ŏk-sē-ă oxygen
-paresis pă-rē-sĭs slight or partial paralysis
-partum,-tocia părt-ŭm, tō-sē-ă childbirth, labor
-pathy pă-thē disease
-penia pē-nē-ă deficiency
-pepsia pĕp-sē-ă digestion
-phonia fō-nē-ă voice
-plasia,-plasm plā-zē-ă, plăz-ŭm formation, growth
-plastic plăs-tĭk pertaining to formation or growth
-plegia plē-jē-ă paralysis
-plegic plē-jĭk pertaining to paralysis
-pnea nē-ă breathing
-pneic nē-ĭk pertaining to breathing
-ptosis tō-sĭs drooping, prolapse
-salpinx săl-pĭnks uterine (fallopian) tube
-sclerosis sklĕ-rō-sĭs hardening
-static stă-tĭk not in motion, at rest
-stenosis stĕ-nō-sĭs narrowing, stricture
-thorax thōr-ăks chest
-trophy trō-fē nourishment, growth
-uria ū-rē-ă urine

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SUFFIXES THAT INDICATE INSTRUMENTS
Suffix Pronunciation Meaning
-graph grăf recording instrument
-meter mĕ-tĕr measuring instrument
-scope skōp viewing instrument
-tome tōm cutting instrument

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