Welcome to the MTWorld free resource on medical suffixes. We have gathered the most common medical suffix information and made it available for your use on our website. Although these standard medical suffixes have been designed with medical transcription in mind, they can also benefit non medical transcriptionists and anyone else in a healthcare or medical career field or anyone who has an interest in learning more about medical terminology and the language of medicine.
Suffixes |
Meaning |
Example |
| A |
| TOP |
| ac |
pertaining to | cardiac |
| al |
pertaining to | femoral |
| algia |
pain | arthralgia |
| apheresis |
removal | leukapheresis |
| ar |
pertaining to | malar |
| ary |
pertaining to | biliary |
| ase |
enzyme | alkaline phosphatase |
| asthenia |
weakness | myasthenia |
| C |
| TOP |
| capnia |
carbon dioxide | hypocapnia |
| cele |
hernia; protrusion | hydrocele |
| centesis |
surgical puncture to aspirate fluid | amniocentesis |
| cidal |
killing | suicidal |
| coccus (pl. cocci) |
berryshaped ( a form of bacterium) | pneumococcus |
| crine |
separate; secrete | endocrine |
| crit |
to separate | hematocrit |
| cyte |
cell | leukocyte |
| D |
| TOP |
| desis |
surgical fixation; fusion | arthrodesis |
| E |
| TOP |
| eal |
pertaining to | calcaneal |
| ectasis |
stretching out; dilatation; expansion | bronchiectasis |
| ectomy |
excision or surgical removal | tonsillectomy |
| emesis |
vomiting | hematemesis |
| emia |
blood condition | anemia |
| esis |
condition | diaphoresis |
| G |
| TOP |
| gen |
substance or agent that produces or causes | antigen |
| genesis |
origin; cause | iatrogenesis |
| genic |
producing; originating; causing | organogenic |
| gram |
record; x-ray film | echocardiogram |
| graph |
instrument used to record | radiograph |
| graphy |
process of recording; xray filming | arteriography |
| I |
| TOP |
| ia |
condition of diseased or abnormal state | hypoxia |
| ial |
pertaining to | arterial |
| iasis |
condition | psoriasis |
| iatry |
physician; treatment | psychiatry |
| ic |
pertaining to | apneic |
| ician |
one who | physician |
| ictal |
seizure; attack | postictal |
| ism |
state of | embolism |
| itis |
inflammation | colitis |
| L |
| TOP |
| lepsy |
seizure | epilepsy |
| lysis |
loosening; dissolution; separating | hydrolysis |
| lytic |
destroy; reduce | thrombolytic |
| M |
| TOP |
| malacia |
softening | chondromalacia |
| mania |
madness; insane desire | pyromania |
| megaly |
enlargement | hepatosplenomegaly |
| meter |
instrument used to measure | thermometer |
| metry |
measurement | oximetry |
| morph |
form; shape | polymorph (polymorphonuclear) |
| O |
| TOP |
| odynia |
pain | arthrodynia |
| oid |
resembling | hyoid |
| ologist |
one who studies & practices (specialist) | cardiologist |
| ology |
study of | oncology |
| oma |
tumor; swelling | hematoma |
| oorhagia |
rapid flow of blood | menorrhagia |
| opia |
vision (condition) | myopia |
| opsy |
to view | biopsy |
| orrhaphy |
suturing; repairing | herniorrhaphy |
| orrhea |
flow; excessive discharge | menorrhea |
| orrhexis |
rupture | capsulorrhexis |
| osis |
abnormal condition (means increased when used with blood cell word roots) | dermatosis |
| ostomy |
creation of an artificial opening | colostomy |
| otomy |
cut into or incision | craniotomy |
| ous |
pertaining to | parous |
| oxia |
oxygen | hypoxia |
| P |
| TOP |
| paresis |
slight paralysis | hemiparesis |
| pathy |
disease | neuropathy |
| penia |
abnormal reduction in number | cytopenia |
| pepsia |
digestion | dyspepsia |
| pexy |
surgical fixation; suspension | urethropexy |
| phagia |
eating; swallowing | odynophagia |
| phobia |
abnormal fear of or aversion to specific objects or things | claustrophobia |
| phonia |
sound or voice | hyperphonia |
| phoria |
feeling | euphoria |
| physis |
growth | hypophysis |
| plasia |
formation; development; a growth | hyperplasia |
| plasm |
growth; substance; formation | cytoplasm |
| plasty |
plastic or surgical repair | arthroplasty |
| plegia |
paralysis | paraplegia |
| pnea |
breathing | apnea |
| poiesis |
formation | hematopoiesis |
| porosis |
passage | osteoporosis |
| prandial |
meal | postprandial |
| ptosis |
dropping; sagging; prolapse | splanchnoptosis |
| ptysis |
spitting | hemoptysis |
| S |
| TOP |
| salpinx |
fallopian tube | hydrosalpinx |
| sarcoma |
malignant tumor | angiosarcoma |
| sclerosis |
hardening | atherosclerosis |
| scope |
instrument used for visual examination | endoscope |
| scopic |
visual examination | arthroscopic |
| scopy |
visual examination | colonoscopy |
| sepsis |
infection | sepsis |
| spasm |
sudden involuntary muscle contraction | vasospasm |
| stalsis |
contraction | peristalsis |
| stasis |
control; stop | hemostasis |
| stenosis |
constriction; narrowing | stenosis |
| T |
| TOP |
| thorax |
chest | hemithorax |
| tocia |
birth; labor | dystocia |
| tome |
instrument used to cut | keratome |
| tripsy |
surgical crushing | lithotripsy |
| trophy |
nourishment | atrophy |
| U |
| TOP |
| ule |
little | pustule |
| uria |
urine; urination | pyuria |
