Which suffix indicates disease?

Which suffix indicates disease?

• A. -itis
• B. -emia
• C. -pathy
• D. -algia

Answer: (C)

Recognizing suffixes helps you read medical terms by showing what the root word is doing. The suffix that signals disease is -pathy. It means a disease or disorder of a part or system, as in neuropathy (nerve disease) or cardiopathy (heart disease). That direct link to a pathological condition makes it the best fit for “indicates disease.” Other suffixes point to different ideas: -itis means inflammation, which is a specific type of condition (tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, for example); -emia refers to a blood condition or presence in the blood (anemia, hyperglycemia); -algia denotes pain (neuralgia is nerve pain). So while these describe medical states too, they don’t define disease in general the way -pathy does.

Recognizing suffixes helps you read medical terms by showing what the root word is doing. The suffix that signals disease is -pathy. It means a disease or disorder of a part or system, as in neuropathy (nerve disease) or cardiopathy (heart disease). That direct link to a pathological condition makes it the best fit for “indicates disease.”

Other suffixes point to different ideas: -itis means inflammation, which is a specific type of condition (tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, for example); -emia refers to a blood condition or presence in the blood (anemia, hyperglycemia); -algia denotes pain (neuralgia is nerve pain). So while these describe medical states too, they don’t define disease in general the way -pathy does.