Using suffixes which are placed after a word root to change the meaning of the word or the part of speech is another easy way to increase vocabulary and reading comprehension. The suffixes and prefixes don’t ALWAYS work. You might end up creating a “neologism” which is a new or invented word. Creative but not always desirable. Below are listed a few favorite prefixes:
| SUFFIX | MEANING | EXAMPLE |
| -able | capable of being or doing | fixable |
| ac, iac | pertaining to | cardiac |
| al, eal | pertaining to | medial |
| algia | pain | neuralgia |
| ary | pertaining to | binary |
| ate | having the function of | legate |
| ation | process of | aeration |
| cide | capable of killing | herbicide |
| er | one who (insert noun) | dancer |
| ess | feminine form | abbess |
| ful | full of | fearful |
| ian, an | like, native of | roman |
| icle | small | icicle |
| ics | organized knowledge | geriatrics |
| ism | condition, disease | gigantism |
| ist | specialist in | cardiologist |
| itis | inflammation of | bursitis |
| ize | to treat by | cauterize |
| form | having the shape of | terraform |
| gnosis | knowledge (greek) | diagnosis |
| gram, graph | record or picture | telegram |
| logist | specialist in | neurologist |
| metry | process of measuring | optometry |
| oid | resembles, like | cuboid |
| oma | tumor, mass | hematoma |
| osis | condition, disease | halitosis |
| pathy | disease | osteopathy |
| plasty | surgical repair, reconstruction | rhinoplasty |
| sclerosis | hardening | arteriosclerosis |
| scope | instrument for viewing | microscope |
| scopy | test | laparoscopy |
| tension | pressure | hypertension |
| tic | pertaining to | romantic |
| tome | cutting instrument (gr) | microtome |
| tomy | cutting, incision | tracheotomy |
Check out this great prefis/suffix/word/word dictionary for more info:
http://www.macroevolution.net/medical-suffixes-r-s.html#s
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