1. What is the meaning of the suffixes “ic, ac, ary, and ous”?
a. pertaining to or referring to
b. low or below
c. weakness
d. to cut out
The answer is a, pertaining to or referring to. Example: celiac means referring to the bowels. Gastric means
pertaining to the stomach. Venous is referring or pertaining to the veins.
2. What is the meaning of the suffix “algia”?
a. weakness
b. pain
c. to soothe
d. cell
The answer is b, pain. Neuralgia is pain along a nerve’s path.
3. What is the meaning of the suffix “asthenia”?
a. pain
b. pertaining to
c. to cut out
d. weakness
The answer is d, weakness. Myasthenia gravis is weakness of the muscles.
4. What is the meaning of the suffix “centesis”?
a. deficiency
b. pertaining to
c. to puncture surgically
d. to capture an image
The answer is c, to puncture surgically. Example: amniocentesis is a procedure to puncture the amniotic sac an
remove fluid for testing.
5. What is the meaning of the suffix “cide”?
a. to help
b. to kill
c. pertaining to
, d. to secrete
The answer is b, to kill. A fungicide is something that kills a fungus.
6. What is the meaning of the suffix “cyte”?
a. toxic
b. to kill
c. to diminish
d. cell
The answer is d, cell. An erythrocyte is a red blood cell.
7. What is the meaning of the suffix “drome”?
a. running or occurring
b. not enough; deficient
c. to carry
d. to record
The answer is a, running or occurring. A syndrome is a group of signs or symptoms that are running a course or
occurring together.
8. What is the meaning of the suffix “ectomy”?
a. a disease
b. to cut out
c. pertaining to
d. drive away
the answer is b, to cut out. A tonsillectomy is a procedure to cut out the tonsils.
9. What is the meaning of the suffix “emia”?
a. cell
b. to remove surgically
c. of the bones
d. pertaining to blood
The answer is d, pertaining to blood. Anemia means you don’t have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin.
10. What is the meaning of the suffix “gen”?
a. softening of something
b. hardening of something
a. pertaining to or referring to
b. low or below
c. weakness
d. to cut out
The answer is a, pertaining to or referring to. Example: celiac means referring to the bowels. Gastric means
pertaining to the stomach. Venous is referring or pertaining to the veins.
2. What is the meaning of the suffix “algia”?
a. weakness
b. pain
c. to soothe
d. cell
The answer is b, pain. Neuralgia is pain along a nerve’s path.
3. What is the meaning of the suffix “asthenia”?
a. pain
b. pertaining to
c. to cut out
d. weakness
The answer is d, weakness. Myasthenia gravis is weakness of the muscles.
4. What is the meaning of the suffix “centesis”?
a. deficiency
b. pertaining to
c. to puncture surgically
d. to capture an image
The answer is c, to puncture surgically. Example: amniocentesis is a procedure to puncture the amniotic sac an
remove fluid for testing.
5. What is the meaning of the suffix “cide”?
a. to help
b. to kill
c. pertaining to
, d. to secrete
The answer is b, to kill. A fungicide is something that kills a fungus.
6. What is the meaning of the suffix “cyte”?
a. toxic
b. to kill
c. to diminish
d. cell
The answer is d, cell. An erythrocyte is a red blood cell.
7. What is the meaning of the suffix “drome”?
a. running or occurring
b. not enough; deficient
c. to carry
d. to record
The answer is a, running or occurring. A syndrome is a group of signs or symptoms that are running a course or
occurring together.
8. What is the meaning of the suffix “ectomy”?
a. a disease
b. to cut out
c. pertaining to
d. drive away
the answer is b, to cut out. A tonsillectomy is a procedure to cut out the tonsils.
9. What is the meaning of the suffix “emia”?
a. cell
b. to remove surgically
c. of the bones
d. pertaining to blood
The answer is d, pertaining to blood. Anemia means you don’t have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin.
10. What is the meaning of the suffix “gen”?
a. softening of something
b. hardening of something
