Which suffix means broken?

• A. -drome
• B. -asthenia
• C. -clast
• D. -itis

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is understanding suffixes that express a specific action. The suffix that means broken is -clast. It comes from a Greek root meaning to break or broken, and it’s used for things that break down or fracture tissue, such as osteoclast (a cell that resorbs bone) or osteoclasis (a surgical fracture to realign bone).

Other common suffixes in this set don’t convey breaking: -drome relates to running or a running condition/syndrome, -asthenia means weakness, and -itis indicates inflammation. Therefore, -clast best fits the meaning of “broken.”