Chapter 2: Suffixes

Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Chapter 2: Suffixes


Chapter ObjectivesChapter Objectives

• Define a suffix.

• How suffixes are used.

• General noun, adjective, and plural suffixes.


SuffixesSuffixes

• Suffix = word ending that modifies a root

• May indicate a noun or adjective

• Often determines how word begins

– Myel/o (bone marrow) + -oid = myeloid (like or pertaining to bone marrow)

– Myel/o + -oma = myeloma (tumor of the bone marrow)


Noun SuffixesNoun Suffixes

• Suffixes can convert roots into nouns

– The ending –sis may appear with different combining vowels as: -osis, -iasis,

-esis, or -asis


Suffixes That Mean “Condition of”Suffixes That Mean “Condition of”

Suffix Example Definition of Example

-ia dementia loss of (de-) intellectual function

-ism racism discrimination based on race

-sis thrombosis having a blood clot (thrombus) in a vessel

-y atony lack of muscle tone


Suffixes for Medical SpecialtiesSuffixes for Medical SpecialtiesSuffix Meaning Example Definition of Example

-ian specialist in a field of study

physician practitioner of medicine (from root physi/o, meaning “nature”)

-iatrics medical specialty pediatrics care and treatment of children (ped/o)

-iatry medical specialty psychiatry study and treatment of mental (psych/o) disorders

-ics medical specialty orthopedics study and treatment of the skeleton and joints (from root ped/o, meaning “child,” and prefix ortho, meaning “straight”)

-ist specialist in a field of study

podiatrist one who studies and treats the foot (pod/o)

-logy study of physiology study of function in a living organism


Adjective SuffixesAdjective Suffixes

• Adjective endings meaning “pertaining to”, “like”, or “resembling” include:

– -ac as in cardiac

– -form as in muciform

– -ory as in respiratory

• No rules for which ending to use with a given noun


Suffixes That Mean “Pertaining to,” “Like,” or “Resembling”

Suffixes That Mean “Pertaining to,” “Like,” or “Resembling”


-ac cardiac pertaining to the heart

-al vocal pertaining to the voice

-ar nuclear pertaining to a nucleus

-ary salivary pertaining to saliva

-form muciform like or resembling mucus

-ic anatomic pertaining to anatomy


Suffixes That Mean “Pertaining to,” “Like,” or “Resembling (cont’d)

Suffixes That Mean “Pertaining to,” “Like,” or “Resembling (cont’d)


-ical (ic + al) electrical pertaining to electricity

-ile virile pertaining to the male; masculine

-oid lymphoid pertaining to the lymphatic system

-ory circulatory pertaining to circulation

-ous cutaneous pertaining to the skin


Forming PluralsForming Plurals

• Special plural forms

– Words ending in –a carry plural ending –ae:

• Gingiva vs. gingivae

– Words ending in –is carry plural ending –es:

• Diagnosis vs. diagnoses


Some Exceptions to the RulesSome Exceptions to the Rules

• Plural of sinus is sinuses

• Plural of virus is viruses

• Plural of serums is sera


Plural EndingsPlural EndingsWord Ending

Plural Ending Singular Example Plural Example

a ae vertebra (bone of the spine) vertebrae

en ina lumen (central opening) lumina

ex, ix, yx ices matrix (background substance; mold) matrices

is es diagnosis (determination of a disease or defect)

diagnoses

ma mata stigma (mark or scar) stigmata

nx (anx, inx, ynx)

nges phalanx (bone of finger or toe) phalanges

on a ganglion (mass of nervous tissue) ganglia

um a serum (thin fluid) sera

us i thrombus (blood clot) thrombi


TestTest

1. The suffix in the word learning is

(a) learn

(b) ng

(c) ing

(d) earn


TestTest

1. The suffix in the word learning is

(a) learn

(b) ng

(c) ing

(d) earn


TestTest

2. The suffixes -ism, -ia, and -ist are found in:

(a) verbs

(b) adjectives

(c) adverbs

(d) nouns


TestTest

2. The suffixes -ism, -ia, and -ist are found in:

(a) verbs

(b) adjectives

(c) adverbs

(d) nouns


TestTest

3. The suffixes -ic,-al, -ous, and -oid are found in:

(a) adjectives

(b) nouns

(c) verbs

(d) roots


TestTest

3. The suffixes -ic,-al, -ous, and -oid are found in:

(a) adjectives

(b) nouns

(c) verbs

(d) roots


TestTest

4. The suffix –form means:

(a) excess

(b) origin

(c) resembling

(d) paired


TestTest

4. The suffix –form means:

(a) excess

(b) origin

(c) resembling

(d) paired


TestTest

5. The suffix -logy means:

(a) placement

(b) study of

(c) vocabulary

(d) size


TestTest

5. The suffix -logy means:

(a) placement

(b) study of

(c) vocabulary

(d) size


TestTest

6. The plural of fungus is:

(a) fungi

(b) fungal

(c) fungae

(d) funga


TestTest

6. The plural of fungus is:

(a) fungi

(b) fungal

(c) fungae

(d) funga


TestTest

7. The plural of protozoon is:

(a) protozoi

(b) protozoae

(c) protozoas

(d) protozoa


TestTest

7. The plural of protozoon is:

(a) protozoi

(b) protozoae

(c) protozoas

(d) protozoa


TestTest

8. The singular of ova (eggs) is:

(a) ovi

(b) ovae

(c) ovum

(d) ovas


TestTest

8. The singular of ova (eggs) is:

(a) ovi

(b) ovae

(c) ovum

(d) ovas


TestTest

9. The singular of phenomena is:

(a) phenomenon

(b) phenomenae

(c) phenomenas

(d) phenomeni


TestTest

9. The singular of phenomena is:

(a) phenomenon

(b) phenomenae

(c) phenomenas

(d) phenomeni

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Chapter 2: Suffixes

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