Medical Terminology Simplified

Suffixes

A suffix is a word element located at the end of a word. Substituting one suffix for another suffix changes the meaning of
the word. In medical terminology, a suffix usually indicates a procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech. In this text,
a suffix that stands alone is preceded by a hyphen.

1–41 The element at the end of a word is called the ____________________.

1–42 Play, read,and speakare complete words and also roots. Add the suffix -er

(meaning one who) to each root to modify its meaning.

Playbecomes__________ / __________.

Readbecomes__________ / __________.

Speakbecomes__________ / __________.

1–43 By attaching the suffix -er (one who)to play, read,and speak,we create

nouns that mean the following:

Play/ermeans __________ __________plays.

Read/ermeans __________ __________reads.

Speak/ermeans __________ __________speaks.

A word root links a suffix that begins with a vowel.

1–44 Link the following roots with suffixes, each of which begins with a vowel.

Then practice pronouncing the terms aloud by referring to the pronunciations in the

left-hand answer column.

Word Root Suffix Medical Term

tonsill -itis becomes __________ / __________

gastr -ectomy becomes __________ / __________

arthr -itis becomes __________ / __________

1–45 Changing the suffix modifies the meaning of the word. In the word dent/al,

dentis the word __________and -alis the ____________________.

8 CHAPTER 1• Introduction to Programmed Learning and Medical Word Building

suffix

play/er

read/er

speak/er

one who

one who

one who

tonsill/itis

tŏn-sĭl-Ī-tĭs

gastr/ectomy

găs-TRĔK-tō-mē

arthr/itis

ăr-THRĪ-tĭs

root, suffix

!