Which suffix means hardness?

• A. Megaly
• B. Sclerosis
• C. Emesis
• D. Ase

Answer: (B)

Suffixes in medical terms signal the type of change occurring. The one that means hardening is sclerosis. It describes tissues that have become hard or rigid, as in arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries) or scleroderma (hardening of the skin and connective tissue). The other suffixes have different meanings: megaly indicates enlargement, emesis means vomiting, and ase denotes an enzyme. So sclerosis is the best fit for “hardness.”