Common Suffixes • CHAPTER 1 19Pathological Suffixes
Common suffixes associated with pathological (disease) conditions, their meanings, and an example of a related term
are presented in the table that follows. First, study the suffix as well as its meaning and practice pronouncing the term
aloud. Then use the information to complete the meaning of the term. You may also refer to Appendix A: Glossary
of Medical Word Elements, page 548. To build a working vocabulary of medical terms and understand how those
terms are used in the health-care industry, it is important that you complete these exercises.
Suffix Term Meaning
-algia, -dynia neur/algia
pain nū-RĂL-jē-ă
neur: nerve
ot/o/dynia
ō-tō-DĬN-ē-ă
ot/o: ear
-cele hepat/o/cele
hernia, swelling hĕ-PĂT-ō-sēl
hepat/o: liver
-ectasis bronchi/ectasis
dilation, expansion brŏng-kē-ĔK-tă-sĭs
bronchi: bronchus Bronchiectasis is associated with various lung
(plural, conditions and is commonly accompanied by
bronchi) chronic infection.
-edema lymph/edema
swelling lĭmf-ĕ-DĒ-mă
lymph: lymph Lymphedema may be caused by a blockage of
the lymph vessels.
-emesis hyper/emesis
vomiting hī-pĕr-ĔM-ĕ-sĭs
hyper-: excessive, above normal
-emia an/emia
blood condition ă-NĒ-mē-ă
an-: without, not
-iasis chol/e/lith/iasis*
abnormal condition (produced kō-lē-lĭ-THĪ-ă-sĭs
by something specific) chol/e: bile, gall
lith: stone, calculus
-itis gastr/itis
inflammation gās-TRĪ-tĭs
gastr: stomach
-lith chol/e/lith*
stone, calculus KŌ-lē-lĭth
cho/e: bile, gallContinued