Which suffix denotes inflammation?

Which suffix denotes inflammation?

• A. -malacia
• B. -osis
• C. -necrosis
• D. -itis

Answer: (D)

In medical terminology, the suffix -itis signals inflammation of a specific organ or tissue. When you see -itis attached to a root, it names an inflammatory condition, such as gastritis (stomach inflammation), dermatitis (skin inflammation), arthritis (joint inflammation), or hepatitis (liver inflammation). That makes -itis the best fit for “inflammation.” Other suffixes describe different concepts. -malacia means softening of tissue (like osteomalacia), not inflammation. -osis denotes a condition or disease, often chronic, rather than the inflammatory process. -necrosis refers to tissue death, which can accompany inflammation but is not itself the term for inflammation.

In medical terminology, the suffix -itis signals inflammation of a specific organ or tissue. When you see -itis attached to a root, it names an inflammatory condition, such as gastritis (stomach inflammation), dermatitis (skin inflammation), arthritis (joint inflammation), or hepatitis (liver inflammation). That makes -itis the best fit for “inflammation.”

Other suffixes describe different concepts. -malacia means softening of tissue (like osteomalacia), not inflammation. -osis denotes a condition or disease, often chronic, rather than the inflammatory process. -necrosis refers to tissue death, which can accompany inflammation but is not itself the term for inflammation.