Which suffix means disease or suffering?

• A. itis
• B. pathy
• C. trophy
• D. emia

Answer: (B)

Understanding suffixes that indicate a disease or disorder helps you read medical terms more accurately. The suffix -pathy comes from Greek pathos, meaning suffering or disease. When attached to a root that names a body part or system, it signals a disease or disorder of that part, as in neuropathy (nerve disease), cardiopathy (heart disease), or myopathy (muscle disease). In contrast, -itis denotes inflammation (appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix), -trophy denotes growth or development (atrophy is wasting away; hypertrophy is increased growth), and -emia refers to a blood condition (anemia is a deficiency of red blood cells in the blood). So the suffix that means disease or suffering is -pathy.