1. CHAPTER 3
Suffixes

2. Suffixes Remember Every medical word has an ending
Meaning of suffix does not change
Suffix does change meaning of the word
Every medical word has an ending
Either a suffix or a complete word
Suffixes make a word a noun or an adjective

3. Suffixes: Rule When suffix begins with a consonant
Combining vowel is needed to attach suffix to word root
Example: cephalodynia
Breakdown of word: cephal / o / dynia
Root = cephal
Combining vowel = o (is needed)
Suffix = dynia (begins with consonant)

4. Suffixes: Rule When suffix begins with a vowel
Combining vowel is not needed to attach suffix to word root
Example word: cephalalgia
Breakdown of word: cephal / algia
Root = cephal
Combining form = (not needed)
Suffix = algia (begins with a vowel)

5. Suffixes: Rule Remember When defining a medical term
Define suffix first
Define prefix second
Define word root(s) last

6. Suffixes Suffixes indicate specialties and/or specialists
May be specialist in a field of study
May be one who specializes in the study of
May be one who treats
Suffixes indicate instruments
May be an instrument used to view
May be an instrument used to measure

7. Suffixes Suffixes indicate surgical and diagnostic procedures
May be surgical puncture
May be process of recording
May be process of viewing with a scope
May be incision into

8. Forming Plurals When singular form ends in ‘a’
Change the ‘a’ to ‘ae’
When singular form ends in ‘ax’
Change the ‘ax’ to ‘aces’
When singular form ends in ‘is’
Change the ‘is’ to ‘es’

9. Forming Plurals When singular form ends in ‘ix’, ‘ex’, or ‘yx’
Change the ‘ix’, ‘ex’, or ‘yx’ to ‘ices’
When singular form ends in ‘on’
Change the ‘on’ to ‘a’
When the singular form ends in ‘um’
Change the ‘um’ to ‘a’

10. Forming Plurals When the singular form ends in ‘us’
Change the ‘us’ to ‘i’
When the singular form ends in ‘ma’
Change the ‘ma’ to ‘mata’

11. Let’s Play Suffix Bingo
Use your blank bingo card with ‘free space’
Fill in each blank with a different suffix
Instructor will call out definitions
You will cross box with an ‘x’ if you have the suffix
You can bingo vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or all four corners
To win, you must have correct suffixes and be able to define each suffix