| Term | Definition |
| -ad | Meaning: Toward
Example: Cephalad - toward the head |
| -algia | Meaning: Pain
Example: Cervicalgia - neck pain |
| -asthenia | Meaning: Weakness
Example: Myasthenia - muscle weakness |
| -blast | Meaning: Immature, Forming
Example: Cytoblast - immature cells |
| -cele | Meaning: Hernia
Example: Hydrocele - A collection of serous fluid in a sacculated cavity |
| -cidal, -cide | Meaning: Destroying, killing
Example: Cytocide - an agent that is destructive to cells |
| -clasis | Meaning: to break or disrupt
Example: Osteoclasos - intentional breaking of the bone |
| -clast | Meaning: Breaking Instrument
Example: Cranioclast - an obsolete instrument used for crushing the head of a demised fetus for extraction |
| -crine | Meaning: Secreting
Example: Apocrine - glands that secrete hormones |
| -crit | Meaning: Seperate
Example: Hematocrit - percentage of volume of blood sample that is composed of cells |
| -cyte | Meaning: Cell
Example: Leukocyte - white blood cell |
| -cytosis | Meaning: Condition of cells
Example: Leukocytosis - condition of elevated white blood cells |
| -derma | Meaning: Skin
Example: Leukoderma - an abscence of pigment in the skin |
| -desis | Meaning: Binding
Example: Pleurodesis - a fibrous adhesion between two layers of pleura |
| -dynia | Meaning: Pain
Example: Gastrodynia - stomach ache |
| -ectasia | Meaning: Expansion, dilation
Example: Angiectasia - dilation of a lymphatic or blood vessel |
| -ectomy | Meaning: Removal of
Example: Splenectomy - removal of spleen |
| -edema | Meaning: Swelling
Example: Myxedema - hypothyroid characterized by a hard swelling of suncutaneous tissue |
| -ema | Meaning: Condition
Example: Emphysema - a condition of the lungs involving enlarged air space in connective tissue |
| -emesis | Meaning: Vomiting
Example: Hyperemesis - excessive vomiting |
| -emia | Meaning: Blood
Example: Hypokalemia - abnormal low potassium in the blood |
| -emic | Meaning: Relating to blood
Example: Hyperemic - denoting increased blood flow to a part or organ |
| -esthesia | Meaning: Sensation
Example: Paresthesia - abnormal sensation, such as tingling |
| -form | Meaning: In the shape of
Example: Chloroform - used as an inhalant to produce general anesthesia |
| -gen | Meaning: A substance or agent producing, coming to be
Example: Oxygen - gaseous element essential to plant and animal life |
| -genesis | Meaning: Production of
Example: Osteogenesis - the production of bone |
| -genic | Meaning: Producing
Example: Cytogenic - forming or producing of cells |
| -globin | Meaning: Protein
Example: Hemoglobin - protein of red blood cell |
| -globulin | Meaning: Protein
Example: Gamma-globulin - a protein in the blood, i.e. immunoglobulin |
| -gram | Meaning: A recording
Example: Arthrogram - imaging of a joint by contrast material |
| -graph | Meaning: Recording instrument
Example: Cardiograph - an instrument for graphically recording movements of the heart |
| -graphy | Meaning: Process of recording
Example: Angiography - radiography of blood vessels by contrast agent |
| -iasis | Meaning: Pathological condition or state
Example: Cholelithiasis - prescence of stone in the gallbladder |
| -ic | Meaning: Pertaining to
Example: Anemic - pertaining to the blood |
| -ics | Meaning: Treatment, practice, body of knowledge
Example: Pediatric - a medical practice concerned with the treatment of children |
| -ism | Meaning: Condition, disease, doctrine
Example: Hypothyroidism - the condition of having an abnormally low producing thyroid |
| -itis | Meaning: Inflammation
Example: Dermatitis - an inflammation of the skin |
| -kinesia, -kinesis | Meaning: Movement
Example: Hyperkinesis - excessive muscular movement |
| -lepsy | Meaning: Condition of
Example: Epilepsy - condition with having seizures |
| -leptic | Meaning: Having seizures
Example: Epileptic - person with epilepsy |
| -logist | Meaning: One who practices
Example: Cardiologist - one who practices medicines of the heart |
| -logy | Meaning: Study, practice
Example: Pathology - study of diseases |
| -lysis | Meaning: Destruction of
Example: Paralysis - loss of power of voluntary movement |
| -lytic | Meaning: Destroying
Example: Hemolytic - agent that is destructive to blood cells |
| -malacia | Meaning: Softening
Example: Osteomalacia - gradual softening of bone |
| -mania | Meaning: Obsession
Example: Pyromania - obsessive thoughts regarding fire |
| -megaly | Meaning: Enlargement
Example: Cardiomrgaly - abnormal enlargement of the heart |
| -meter | Meaning: Measuring device
Example: Thermometer - used for measuring the temperature |
| -metry | Meaning: Measurement
Example: Oximetry - device used to measure oxygen saturation |
| -oid | Meaning: Like, resembling
Example: Hemorrhoid - varicose condition of the external hemorrhoidal vein |
| -oma | Meaning: Tumor, neoplasm
Example: Giloma - neoplasm of the brain |
| -opia, -opsia | Meaning: Vision
Example: Diplopia - double vision |
| -opsy | Meaning: View of
Example: Autopsy - Examination of a dead body's organs |
| -osis | Meaning: Condition, state, process
Example: Keratosis - any lesion on the skin marked overgrowths from the horny layer |
| -ostomy | Meaning: Opening
Example: Tracheostomy - surgical opening in the trachea |
| -oxia | Meaning: Oxygen
Example: Hypoxia - abnormally low levels of oxygen prior to anoxia |
| -para | Meaning: Bearing
Example: Primipara - woman who has given birth once |
| -paresis | Meaning: Slight paralysis
Example: Hemiparesis - weakness effecting one side of the body |
| -parous | Meaning: Producing, bearing
Example: Gemmiparous - reproducing by buds |
| -pathy | Meaning: Disease
Example: Cardiopathy - any disease of the heart |
| -penia | Meaning: Deficiency
Example:Thrombocytopenia - condition of low numbers of thrombocytes in the blood |
| -pepsia | Meaning: Digestion
Example: Hyperpepsia - abnormally rapid digestion |
| -pexy | Meaning: Fixation, usually done surgically
Example: Hysteropexy - fixation of a displaced uterus |
| -phage, -phagia, -phagy | Meaning: Eating, devouring
Example: Macrophage - a cell that eats invaders |
| -phasia | Meaning: Speaking
Example: Dyspahsia - difficulty in swallowing |
| -pheresis | Meaning: Removal
Example: Leukapheresis - removal of leukocytes fron drawn blood |
| -phil, -philia | Meaning: Attraction, affinity for
Example: Hemophilia - A permanent tendency toward bleeding. |
| -phobia | Meaning: Fear
Example: Agoraphobia - orrational fear of the open or unfamiliar |
| -phonia | Meaning: Sound
Example: Dysphonia - altered voice production |
| -phoresis | Meaning: Carrying
Example: Diaphoresis - perspiration |
| -phoria | Meaning: Feeling, carrying
Example: Adiaphoria - non-response to stimuli |
| -phrenia | Meaning: Of the mind
Example: Hebephrenia - a disorganized type of schizophrenia |
| -phthisis | Meaning: Wasting Away
Example: Hemophthisis - anemia |
| -phylaxis | Meaning: Protection
Example: Anaphylaxis - a sever reaction to an agent the body recognizes as an invader |
| -physis | Meaning: Growing
Example: Epiphysis - part of a long bone distinct from and growing out of the shaft |
| -plakia | Meaning: Plaque
Example: melanoplakia - colored patches on the mucous membrane |
| -plasia | Meaning: Formation
Example: Hyperplasia - an increase of the normal number of cells in an organ |
| -plasm | Meaning: Formation
Example: Cytoplasm - a substance of protoplasm in a cell |
| -plastic | Meaning: Forming
Example: Neoplastic - containing a neoplasm or the chracteristics of one |
| -plasty | Meaning: Surgical Repair
Example: Dermatoplasty - Surgical repair of the skin |
| -plegia | Meaning: Paralysis
Example: Paraplegia - paralysis of both lower extremities |
| -plegic | Meaning: One who is paralyzed
Example: Paraplegic - One who has paraplegia |
| -pnea | Meaning: Breath
Example: Dyspnea - difficult or abnormal breathing |
| -poiesis | Meaning: Formation
Example: Thrombopoiesis - formation of thrombocytes |
| -poietic | Meaning: Forming
Example: Erythropoietic - of the formation of red blood cells |
| -poietin | Meaning: One that forms
Example: Erythropoietin - an acid that aids in the formation of red blood cells |
| -porosis | Meaning: Lessening in density
Example: Osteoparosis - lessening in bone density |
| -ptosis | Meaning: Falling down, Dropping
Example: Nephroptosis - when the kidney sinks into the pelvis cavity |
| -rrhage | Meaning: Discharging heavily
Example: Hemorrhage - to bleed heavily |
| -rrhagia | Meaning: Heavy Discharge
Example: Menorrhagia - Excessive menstrual bleeding |
| -rrhaphy | Meaning: Surgical Suturing
Example: Colorrhaphy - suture of the colon |
| -rrhea | Meaning: A flowing, A flux
Example: Rhinorrhea - runny nose |
| -rrhexis | Meaning: Rupture
Example: Angiorrhexis - ruptured blood vessel |
| -schisis | Meaning: Splitting internal body cavity
Example: Spondyloschisis - failure of fusion of the vertebral arch |
| -scope | Meaning: Instrument (especially one used for observing)
Example: Laparoscope - a scope used for examining the peritoneal cavity |
| -scopy | Meaning: Use of an instrument for observing
Example: Endoscopy - use of instruments to view an |
| -somnia | Meaning: Sleep
Example: Hypersomnia - excessive day time sleep |
| -spasm | Meaning: Contraction
Example: Myospasm - spastic contractions of the muscle |
| -stalsis | Meaning: Contraction
Example: Retrostalsis - backward motion of the intestine |
| -stasis | Meaning: Stopping, constant
Example: Choleostasis - a condition where bile flow from the liver is blocked |
| -stat | Meaning: Agent to maintain a state
Example: Homeostat - an agent that arrests the flow of blood |
| -static | Meaning: Maintaining a state
Example: Orthostatic - Relating to a erect posture |
| -stenosis | Meaning: Narrowing
Example: Aortic Stenosis - a narrowing of the aortic valve |
| -stomy | Meaning: Opening
Example: Gastrostomy - surgical opening in the stomach (usually for a feeding tube) |
| -tome | Meaning: Cutting instrument, segment
Example: Dermatome - an instrument for making thin slices of the skin |
| -tomy | Meaning: Cutting operation
Example: Craniotomy - surgical operation that removes a pertion of the skull to access the brain |
| -trophic | Meaning: Nutritional
Example: Hypotrophic - progressive degeneration of organs and tissues |
| -trophy | Meaning: Nutrition
Example: Atrophy - a wasting away of the body |
| -tropia | Meaning: Turning
Example: Anatropia - deviation of the axis of one eye upward |
| -tropic | Meaning: Turning Toward
Example: Dexiotropic - twisting in a spiral fashion from left to right |
| -tropy | Meaning: condition os turning toward
Example: Neurotropy - affinity of certain contrasts mediums for nervous tissue |
| -uria | Meaning: urine
Example: Dysuria - painful or difficult urination |
| -version | Meaning: Version
Example: Retroversion - a turning backward |
