SUFFIXES

SURGICAL PROCEDURE SUFFIXES

1. Incision
-ectomy-surgical removal, excision(hemorrhoidectomy)
-o/centesis-surgical puncture(amniocentesis=surgical perforation of the uterus to obtain
amniotic fluid)
-o/stomy-forming an opening, mouth(bronchostomy=surgical creation of an opening into a
bronchus)
-o/tome-instrument to cut(osteotome=like knife for cutting bone)
-o/tomy-to cut into(phlebotomy=incision of a vein, venesection)
2. Plastic operations(repair,rebuild,reconstruct,bind)
-desis-binding,stabilization(arthrodesis=surgical fixation of a joint)
-o/rraphy-suture(splenorraphy=surgical repair of the spleen)
-o/pexy-fixation, suspension(splenopexy=surgical fixation of a mobile spleen)
-o/plasty-formation, plastic repair(colpoplasty=plastic surgery involving the vagina)
3. Refracturing, loosening, crusing
-o/clasis-to break down, refracture(osteoclasis- the surgical fracture or refracture of bones)
-o/lysis-loosen, free from adhesions, destruction(enterolysis)
-o/tripsy-to crush(neurotripsy=surgical crushing of a nerve)

DIAGNOSTIC AND SYMPTOMIC SUFFIXES

-algia-pain -opsy- process of viewing
-o/cele-hernia, swelling -osis- abnormal condition, increase- used only
-o/dynia- pain with blood cells
-ectasis- dilation, expansion -o/pathy – disease
-emia- blood condition -o/penia – decrease, deficiency
-o/gen- beginning, origin -phagia – eating
-o/gram- a writing, record -phasia – speech
-o/graph- to write, record -plegia – paralysis, stroke
-iasis-condition, formation of -phobia- morbid fear
-sis-state of, condition -o/ptosis – prolapse, falling, dropping
-itis- inflammation -o/rrhage- burst forth, hemorrhage
-o/logy-study of -o/rrhea – discharge, flow
-o/malacia-softening -o/rrhexis- rupture
-o/megaly-elargement -o/sclerosis- hardening
-o/meter- measure -scope-instrument to visually examine
-oid- resemble -o/scopy-examination, view
-oma- tumor, mass -o/spasm- involuntary contraction, twitching

-eoccus- bacteria
-ac-cardiac(heart) -cyte-cell
-al-carpal(carpus, wrist) -ole-little, small
-ary-hereditary(heredity) -trophy-development(increase)
-ic-myasthenic(muscular weakness) -ule- little, small
-ical-physiological(physiology) -ist- specialist
-ous-serous(serum) -iac-indvidual affected by a certain disease
-tic-mycotic(caused by) -ia-abnormal condition, an unhealty state
-is
-ism- abnormal condition, state of being
PREFIXES

a. Prefixes of position Sinistr/o- to the left of c. Prefixes of Number

Ambi-both, both sides and Measurement
Amphi- on both sides b. Prefixes of Color Primi- first
Ante- before, in front of Alb- white Uni- one
Anter/o- Albumin/o- Mono-
Pre- Leuc/o- Bi- two
Pro- Leuk/o- Di-
Dextr/o- to the right of Chlor/o- green Hemi- half
Dors/o- back Glauc/o -gray Semi- partial
Epi- upon Polio- Hyper- over
Hypo- under Cirrho/o- yellow Hypo- under
infra- beneath Xanth/o- Multi- many
Sub- Cyan/o- blue Poly-
Inter- between Melan/o- black Tri- three
Later/o- to the side of Erythr/o- red Quad- four
Mes/o, medi- in the Rube/o- Quadri-
middle of Purpur/o- purple Macro- large
Retro- post – after, Micro-small
backward
Postero- located
behind

d. Prefixes of negation endo- in, within f. Miscellaneous

a- Without,not,lack of intra- Prefixes
an- par- near,beside Anti- against
ar- not para- Contra-
im- super- above, excessive Brady-slow
in- supra- Dys- bad,painful
e. Prefixes of direction ultra-beyond, Eu- good, easy
ab- from, away from exscessive Heter/o-different
ad- to, toward Hidr/o-sweat
circum- around Homo-same
peri- Hydr/o- water
ec- out from Mal-ill,bad,poor
ex- Meta-after, beyond
dia- through, across Pan- all
per- Pseudo-false
trans- Scler/o-hard
ecto- outside Sym-union, together
exo- Syn-
extra- Tachy-rapid
 Adeno/o-gland Hem/o- blood
Arthr/o- joint Hepat/o- liver
Bi/o-life Iatr/o-treatment
Carcin/o – canceerous Leuk/o- white
Cardi/o- heart Nephr/o- kidney
Cephal/o-head Neur/o-nerve
Cerebr/o- brain Onc/o- tumor
Cis/o- to cut Ophtalm/o – eye
Crin/o – to secrete Oste/o- bone
Cyst/o- urinary bladder Path/o- disease
Cyt/o – cell Physi/o- nature
Derm/o- skin Psyhc/o- mind
Electr/o- eletricity Radi/o- rays
Encephal/o- brain Ren/o- kidney
Enter/o- intestines Rhin/o- nose
Erythr/o-red Sarc/o- flesh
Gastr/o-stomach Secti/o- to cut
Gen/o-produced by Thromb/o- clot
Gnos/o- knowledge Ur/o- urine
Gynec/o- woman Tom/o -to cut

PLURAL SUFFIXES

a- ae Retain the a and add e pleura - pleurae

ax- aces Drop the x and add ces thorax -thoraces

en-ina Drop the en and add ina lumen- lumina

is -es Drop the is and add es diagnosis- diagnoses

ix,ex - ices Drop the ix or ex and add ices appendix -appendices

apex- apices

on- a Drop the on and add a ganglion- ganglia

um-a Drop the um and add a bacterium- bacteria

us- i Drop the us and add i bronchus- bronchi

y- ies Drop the y and add ies deformity- deformities

ma- mata Retain the ma and add ta carcinoma- carcinomata