Suffixes end words but are often where definitions begin in medical terminology. After determining the meaning of the suffix, the prefix is usually defined next, followed by the root word meaning. Suffixes may be used to to make a word either an adjective or a noun. Depending on how the root word ends, a combining vowel may be attached between the root word and the suffix.
A suffix will have the same meaning when added to any root word. For instance, -plasty means surgical repair, so rhinoplasty would denote surgical repair of the nose while angioplasty means surgical repair of a blood vessel.
Some suffixes may have the same or similar meanings. For example, -al, -ary, ical, and -oid all may mean "pertaining to," but each may be used with particular root words in practice. Some suffixes that have the same meaning may be interchanged with other suffixes with the same meaning in certain circumstances.
How to Use These Suffix Flash Cards
The following free medical terminology flash cards may help people to study common suffixes used in medical professions. Simply click on the first flash card to enlarge. Click on the next thumbnail to advance to the next flash card.
These flash cards give the suffix first, followed by the definition. Feel free to start at the last card and work backwards for variations in study. I welcome your feedback and encourage you to visit my
site map for more great study guides!
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| Free Suffix Medical Terminology Flash Cards |
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| Study Guide for Learning Suffixes |
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| What does -plasty mean? |
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| -plasty definition: surgical repair |
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| What does -us mean? |
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| -us definition: suffix identifying singular nouns |
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| What does -gravida mean? |
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| -gravida definition: pregnancy |
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| What does -ectasis mean? |
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| -ectasis definition: stretching, dilatation |
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| What does -rrhaphy mean? |
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What does -ize mean? |
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| -ize definition: to treat, to make, combine with |
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| What does -pathy mean? |
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| -pathy definition: disease |
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| What does -tion mean? |
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| -tion definition: process of |
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| What does -genic mean? |
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| -genic definition: producing, pertaining to, formation |
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| What does -cele mean? |
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| -cele definition: herniation, swelling |
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| What does -ad mean? |
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| -ad definition: increase, toward |
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| What does -logy mean? |
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| -logy definition: the study of |
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| What does -ian mean? |
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| -ian definition: specialist in a particular field of study |
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| What does -pexy mean? |
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| -pexy definition: surgical fixation |
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| What does -ula mean? |
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| -ula definition: little, small |
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| What does -oma mean? |
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| -oma definition: tumor |
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| What does -ptosis mean? |
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| -ptosis definition: prlapse, drooping |
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| What does -ary mean? |
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| -ary definition: relating to, pertaining to |
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| What does -e mean? |
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| -e definition: silent letter used to end some nouns |
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| What does -emia mean? |
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| -emia definition: blood condition |
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| What does -lytic mean? |
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| -lytic definition: destruction |
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| What does -ion mean? |
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| -ion definition: process, action |
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| What does -iatrician mean? |
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| -iatrician definition: physician, one who treats |
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| What does -cyte mean? |
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| -cyte definition: cell |
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| What does -al mean? |
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| -al definition: pertaining to |
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| What does -stasis mean? |
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| -stasis definition: stopping, controlling |
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| What does -opsia mean? |
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| -opsia definition: visual condition |
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| What does -um mean? |
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| -um definition: suffix used to identify some singular nouns |
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| What does -lith mean? |
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| -lith definition: stone |
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| What does -esis mean? |
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| -esis definition: condition of |
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| What does -ic mean? |
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| -ic definition: pertaining to |
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| What does -a mean? |
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| -a definition: suffix sometimes used to denote a noun ending |
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| What does -dynia mean? |
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| -dynia definition: pain |
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| What does -graph mean? |
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| -graph definition: instrument used to record |
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| What does -phobia mean? |
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| -phobia definition: abnormal fear |
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| What does -scopy mean? |
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| -scopy definition: viewing with a scope |
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| What does -ory mean? |
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| -ory definition: characterized by, pertaining to |
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| What does -pnea mean? |
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| -pnea definition: breathing |
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| What does -iatric(s) mean? |
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| -iatric(s) definition: related to medical treatment or medicine or physicians |
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| What does -ectasia mean? |
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| -ectasia definition: dilatation, stretching |
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| What does -algia mean? |
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| -algia definition: pain |
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| What does -metry mean? |
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| -metry definition: the process of measuring |
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| What does -ical mean? |
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| -ical definition: pertaining to |
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| What does -tripsy mean? |
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| -tripsy definition: crushing intentionally |
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| What does -osis mean? |
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| -osis definition: condition |
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| What does -megaly mean? |
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| -megaly definition: enlargement |
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| What does -genesis mean? |
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| -genesis definition: formation, generating |
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| What does -centesis mean? |
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| -centesis definition: surgical puncture |
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| What does -tic mean? |
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| -tic definition: pertaining to |
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| What does -ole mean? |
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| -ole definition: little, small |
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| What does -scope mean? |
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| -scope definition: instrument used to view |
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| What does -iatry mean? |
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| -iatry definition: medical profession, medical treatment |
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| What does -gram mean? |
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| -gram definition: record, picture |
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| What does -clasis mean? |
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| -clasis definition: breaking into small pieces, crushing |
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| What does -ist mean? |
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| -ist definition: practitioner |
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| What does -lysis mean? |
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| -lysis definition: destruction, detachment |
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| What does -er mean? |
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| -er definition: one who |
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| What does -iasis mean? |
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| -iasis definition: presence of an abnormal condition |
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| What does -ac mean? |
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| -ac definition: pertaining to |
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| What does -desis mean? |
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| -desis definition: surgical fusion, binding |
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| What does -mania mean? |
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| -mania definition: "madness," a mental disorder |
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| What does -ician mean? |
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| -ician definition: specialist in a field of study |
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| What does -plegia mean? |
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| -plegia definition: paralysis |
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| What does -stomy mean? |
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| -stomy definition: creation of a new opening with surgery |
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| What does -rrhexis mean? |
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| -rrhexis definition: rupture |
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| What does -ism mean? |
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| -ism definition: condition |
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| What does -oid mean? |
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| -oid definition: resembling |
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| What does -graphy mean? |
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| -graphy definition: the process of recording |
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| What does -ectomy mean? |
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| -ectomy definition: surgical removal |
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| What does -cide mean? |
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| -cide definition: to destroy, to kill |
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| What does -ate mean? |
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| -ate definition: something that... |
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| What does -lepsy mean? |
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| -lepsy definition: attack, seizure |
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| What does -ile mean? |
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| -ile definition: capable, pertaining to |
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| What does -ia mean? |
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| -ia definition: condition (noun ending) |
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| What does -ar mean? |
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| -ar definition: pertaining to |
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| What does -meter mean? |
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| -meter definition: instrument used for measuring |
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| What does -plasia mean? |
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| -plasia definition: formation or development |
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| What does -opsy mean? |
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| -opsy definition: process of viewing |
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| What does -rrhagia mean? |
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| -rrhagia definition: excessive discharge or flow |
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| What does -eal mean? |
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| -eal definition: pertaining to |
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| What does -itis mean? |
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| -itis definition: inflammation |
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| What does -iatrist mean? |
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| -iatrist definition: physician, one who treats |
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| What does -gen mean? |
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| -gen definition: something that generates |
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| What does -blast mean? |
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| -blast definition: embryonic stage of development |
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| What does -logist mean? |
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| -logist definition: someone who specializes in the study of |
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| What does -ule mean? |
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| -ule definition: small one |
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| What does -y mean? |
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| -y definition: process, condition (noun ending) |
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| What does -scope mean? |
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| -scope definition: instrument used for viewing |
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| What does -penia mean? |
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| -penia definition: deficiency, decrease in |
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| What does -algesia mean? |
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| -algesia definition: sensitivity to pain |
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| What does -lithiasis mean? |
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| -lithiasis definition: formation or presence of stones |
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| What does -tomy mean? |
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| -tomy definition: incision into |
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| What does -philia mean? |
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| -philia definition: attraction to |
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| What does -ous mean? |
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| -ous definition: pertaining to |
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| What does -uria mean? |
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| -uria definition: characteristic of the urine |
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| What does -rrhea mean? |
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| -rrhea definition: flow, discharge |
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| medical terminology suffix flash cards |
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