Section II. SUFFIXES - GENERAL INFORMATION AND DISEASES
Suffixes are the final element which we will study in analyzing medical terms. Normally,
when reading or breaking down a medical word, begin with the suffix.
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199 When reading or breaking down a
medical term, we usually begin with the
__________.
suffix
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200 A suffix is a letter or syllable at the end
of a word which adds meaning to the
word.
A letter or syllable at the end of a word
which adds to its meaning is called a
__________.
suffix
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Like prefixes, suffixes could be placed into
different categories of meaning.
201 Suffixes differ from prefixes, however,
in that a suffix comes (before, after) the
stem.
after
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Most suffixes are in common use in English,
but a few are peculiar to medicine. The
suffixes most commonly used to indicate
disease are -itis, meaning inflammation; -
oma, meaning tumor; and
-osis, meaning condition, usually morbid.
202 Suffixes commonly used to
indicate disease are __________,
__________, and __________.
itis/oma/osis
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MD0010
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