List of 168 Greek suffixes that are used in English

Greek suffixes are found in many English vocabulary words, in particular in scientific and technical terms. Many of these suffixes have entered the English language via Latin and French.

Suffixes appear at the end of words, whereas prefixes appear at the beginning of words. (See this other article for a list of Greek prefixes)

List of common Greek suffixes which are used in English

• -cracy ⇒ The Greek suffix “-cracy” is used in English to describe different types of government. It comes from the Greek word “kratos,” which means “power” or “rule.”

  Word	Meaning
  Democracy	A government where the people hold the power
  Meritocracy	A system ruled by people with skills and abilities
  Theocracy	When religious leaders have the power
  Plutocracy	When rich people or powerful companies have the power

• -agogue ⇒ The suffix “-agogue” originates from the Greek word “agogos,” which means “leading.” This suffix is commonly used in English to create new words that describe a leader or one who leads.

  Word	Definition
  pedagogue	A teacher who leads students in their learning
  demagogue	A leader who seeks to gain power and influence over others by appealing to their emotions and prejudices

• -anthropy ⇒ The “-anthropy” suffix is often used in English to make new words about human behavior. It comes from the Greek word “anthropos,” which means “human.”

  Word	Meaning
  Philanthropy	Performing good actions for other people, usually through charities
  Misanthropy	Dislike of other people

• -archy ⇒ The “-archy” suffix is derived from the Greek word “arkhe,” which means “government” or “rule.” It is often used in English to describe different kinds of governments or power structures.

  Word	Definition
  Hierarchy	A way of organizing people or things based on their importance or rank.
  Monarchy	A system where one person, usually a king or queen, has all the power.
  Anarchy	When there is no government or laws, which can lead to chaos.
  Oligarchy	A system where a small group has all the power.

• -crat ⇒ The suffix “-crat” is derived from the Greek word “kratos,” which means “power” or “might.” This suffix is commonly used in English vocabulary to describe individuals who hold a certain kind of power.

  Word	Meaning
  Democrat	A person who believes in democracy and supports the power of the people.
  Aristocrat	Someone from a privileged or noble family who has power because of their status.
  Bureaucrat	A government official who exercises administrative control, often in a complicated or rigid way.
  Technocrat	Someone with expertise in a specific field using their knowledge to hold power and make decisions.

• -poly ⇒ The suffix “-poly” comes from the Greek verb “poleo,” which means “I sell.” This suffix is used in English vocabulary, particularly in economics-related words such as “monopoly,” “duopoly,” and “oligopoly.”

  Word	Definition
  Monopoly	A single company has exclusive control over a particular market.
  Duopoly	A market with only two dominant companies.
  Oligopoly	A market where a few large companies have significant control over the market.

  It is important to note that the Greek suffix “-poly” is unrelated in meaning and etymology to the Greek prefix “poly-,” which means “many”.
• -logy ⇒ The suffix “-logy” comes from the Greek word “logos,” which means “explanation” or “narrative.” It is commonly used in English vocabulary to describe the study of a particular field of knowledge.

  Word	Definition
  Technology	The study of how to use scientific knowledge to create tools and machines.
  Biology	The study of living organisms and their interactions with their environment.
  Terminology	The terms used in a particular field of knowledge.
  Etymology	The study of the origin and history of words.

• -nym ⇒ The suffix “-onym” comes from the Greek word “onuma,” which means “name.” This suffix is often used in English to create new words that relate to names or words.

  Word	Definition
  Synonym	A word with the same meaning as another word.
  Pseudonym	A fake name used by someone, usually an author, to conceal their identity.
  Acronym	A word formed from the first letters of a series of words, such as NASA for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
  Homonym	A word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and often a different spelling.

• -ergy ⇒ The suffix “-ergy” comes from the Greek word “ergon,” which means “work.” This suffix is commonly used in English vocabulary to describe different types of work or energy.

  Word	Definition
  Energy	The power to do work, often in the form of physical or chemical energy.
  Synergy	The combined interaction of two or more things to create a greater effect than the sum of their individual effects.
  Allergy	An abnormal reaction of the body’s immune system to a typically harmless substance

• -gamous ⇒ The suffix “-gamous” is derived from the Greek word “gamos,” which means “union” or “marriage.” This suffix is commonly used in English vocabulary to describe different forms of mating or marriage.

  Word	Definition
  Monogamous	Refers to a relationship where two individuals are united or married exclusively to each other.
  Polygamous	Refers to a relationship where one individual is united or married to several partners.
  Endogamous	Refers to a practice where individuals marry within their social group.

• -oid ⇒ The suffix “-oid” comes from the Greek word “eidos,” which means “form” or “likeness.” It is often used in English vocabulary to describe something that resembles or looks like something else.

  Word	Definition
  Android	A robot designed to look and act like a human
  Asteroid	A small rocky object in space resembling a star
  Humanoid	Something with human-like characteristics or resembling a human in appearance or behavior

• -log ⇒ The suffix “-log” comes from the Greek word “-logos” which means “one who speaks in a certain manner.” This suffix is commonly used in English vocabulary to describe a form of discourse, either in written or spoken form.

  Word	Definition
  Dialog	A conversation between two or more people.
  Prolog	The introductory part of a literary work.
  Epilog	The concluding part of a literary work.
  Monolog	A speech given by a single character.

• -scope ⇒ The suffix “-scope” is derived from the Greek word “skopeo,” which means “to examine” or “to see.” This suffix is commonly used in English vocabulary to describe an instrument or device used for viewing or examining something.

  Word	Definition
  Telescope	An optical device that allows you to see faraway objects that are not visible to the naked eye.
  Microscope	An instrument used to see tiny things, such as cells or bacteria.
  Kaleidoscope	A toy that produces constantly changing symmetrical patterns when you look through it.
  Gyroscope	A device measuring orientation and angular velocity.

• -meter ⇒ The suffix “-meter” is derived from the Greek word “metron,” which means “measure.” This suffix is commonly used in English to form terms that refer to instruments measuring different quantities.

  Word	Definition
  Thermometer	A device that measures temperature.
  Barometer	A device that measures atmospheric pressure.
  Parameter	A value that defines the characteristics of a particular system.

• -phile ⇒ The suffix “-phile” comes from the Greek word “philos,” which means “dear” or “beloved.” When added to the end of a word, it creates a noun that describes someone who loves or has a strong affinity for a particular thing or person.

  Word	Meaning
  Audiophile	Someone who loves and appreciates high-quality sound reproduction
  Bibliophile	Someone who loves and collects books
  Francophile	Someone who loves French culture, language, and history

• -gram ⇒ The suffix “-gram” is derived from the Greek word “gramma,” which means “written character” or “something which is drawn.” This suffix is used to form words that refer to a written or drawn representation of something.

  Word	Definition
  Program	A written plan of action
  Diagram	A drawing or visual representation of something
  Hologram	A three-dimensional image created by the interference of light beams

• -graphy ⇒ from « graphe » (γραφή), which means “writing,” “drawing,” or “description”.

  Word	Definition
  Biography	A written account of someone’s life, usually published in the form of a book
  Bibliography	A list of books or other works that have been referred to or used by an author or scholar
  Discography	A comprehensive list of recordings by a particular artist or group
  Calligraphy	The art of beautiful handwriting, often using special pens or brushes

• -polis ⇒ from « polis » (πόλις), which means “city”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is metropolis. In addition, this suffix appears in some city names such as Indianapolis and Minneapolis.
• -sophy ⇒ from « sophia » (σοφία), which means “knowledge” or “wisdom”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are philosophy and theosophy.
• -etic is a Greek suffix that is often used to create adjectives from nouns. It means “pertaining to”. Sympathetic and apathetic are examples of vocabulary words formed with this suffix.
• -graph ⇒ from the Greek word « grapho » (γράφω), which means “to scratch” or “to scrape”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are photograph, monograph, paragraph, and autograph.
• -nomics ⇒ from « nomos » (νόμος), which means “law”. Examples of English words containing this suffix are economics, genomics, and ergonomics.
• -naut ⇒ The suffix “-naut” comes from the Greek word “nautes” which means “sailor.” It is often used in English to describe someone who navigates or travels through a particular environment.

  Term	Definition
  Astronaut	A person who travels into space.
  Cosmonaut	A person who travels into space as part of the Russian space program.

  The use of the “-naut” suffix in these words reflects the idea of space travel as a form of exploration and adventure, much like navigating the open seas as a sailor.
• -phobia ⇒ from « phobos » (φόβος), which means “fear”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are xenophobia, claustrophobia, and agoraphobia.
• -phone ⇒ The suffix “-phone” comes from the Greek word “phone,” which means “sound.” It is commonly used in English vocabulary to describe devices that produce or transmit sound. Examples of English words that contain this suffix include “telephone,” “saxophone,” “microphone,” and “xylophone.”
• -arch ⇒ The suffix “-arch” comes from the Greek word “arkhe,” which means “ruler” or “leader.” This suffix forms words that describe someone who has control over something.

  Word	Meaning
  Monarch	A ruler of a kingdom
  Patriarch	The male leader of a family or society
  Matriarch	The female leader of a family or society
  Oligarch	A member of a small group that holds power over a government or organization

• -osis ⇒ from the word « -osis » (-ωσις), which means “state” or “abnormal condition”. Some examples of words containing this suffix are diagnosis, prognosis, metamorphosis, and hypnosis.
• -phonic ⇒ The Greek suffix -phonic is widely used in English to form adjectives related to sound or voice. It is derived from the Greek word “phone” (φωνή), which means “sound”.

  Word	Definition
  Symphonic	The harmonious combination of sounds produced by an orchestra
  Polyphonic	Music with multiple voices or parts
  Stereophonic	Producing sound with two or more independent channels or speakers, creating a more realistic audio experience

• -nomy ⇒ from « nomos » (νόμος), which means “law”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are economy, astronomy, autonomy, and agronomy.

List of less common Greek suffixes which are used in English

• -ad is a Greek suffix that means “a unit or a set”. Some examples of vocabulary words containing this suffix are myriad and monad.
• -adenia is a suffix derived from the Greek word « aden » (ἀδήν), which means “gland”.
• -adic is a suffix that is used to form mathematics-related vocabulary words, such as monadic and dyadic.
• -aemia ⇒ from « haima » (αἷμα), which means “blood”.
• -algia ⇒ from « algos » (ἄλγος), meaning “pain”. Nostalgia is an example of a vocabulary word that uses this suffix.
• -andry is a Greek suffix that means “man” or “male”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are misandry and polyandry.
• -anth ⇒ from « anthos » (ἄνθος), which means “flower”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are amaranth and perianth.
• -ast is a Greek suffix that means “associated with”.
• -athlon ⇒ from « athlon » (ἆθλον), which means “contest”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are triathlon, decathlon, and biathlon.
• -biotic ⇒ from « biotikos » (βιωτικός), which means “of life”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are symbiotic and probiotic.
• -blast ⇒ this suffix is used in biology-related words. It means “an immature cell”. It is derived from the Greek word « blastos » (βλαστός), which means “germ” or “sprout”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are fibroblast, osteoblast, and neuroblast.
• -carp ⇒ from « karpos » (καρπός), which means “fruit” or “grain”. Etymologically related suffixes include -carpic and -carpous
• -cene ⇒ from « kainos » (καινός), which means “new”. The main use of this suffix is in the formation of words denoting geological epochs, for instance: Miocene, Pleistocene, and Oligocene.
• -centesis is a suffix derived from the Greek word « kentesis » (κέντησις), which means “the act of pricking”.
• -centric ⇒ from « kentrikos » (κεντρικός), which means “central”. Eccentric, ethnocentric, and egocentric are examples of vocabulary words that contain this suffix.
• -cephaly ⇒ from « kephale » (κεφαλή), which means “head”.
• -chore ⇒ from « khoreo » (χωρέω), which means “I move” or “spread”.
• -choron ⇒ from « khoros » (χώρος), which means “room”.
• -clase ⇒ from « klasis » (κλᾰ́σῐς), which means “breaking” or “fracture”.
• -clast is a suffix derived from the Greek word « klastos » (κλαστός), which means “broken”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is iconoclast.
• -clinal ⇒ from « klino » (κλίνω), which means “to lean”.
• -coccus ⇒ from « kokkos » (κόκκος), which means “grain” or “seed”.
• -coel is a suffix derived from the Greek word « koilos » (κοῖλος), which means “hollow”.
• -crasy is a Greek suffix that means “temperament”. (It should not be confused with the suffix -cracy which is pronounced the same.) The suffix -crasy is derived from the ancient Greek word « krasis » (κρᾶσις), which means “mixing” or “tempering”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is idiosyncrasy.
• -cratic is a suffix derived from the Greek word « -kratia » (-κρατία), which means “-cracy”.
• -crypt is a suffix that means “secret”. It originates from the ancient Greek word kruptos (κρυπτός), which means “concealed”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are encrypt and decrypt.
• -cyte is a Greek suffix that is used in biology to form cell names. It comes from the Latin word « cyta » which comes from the Greek word « kutos » (κύτος), meaning “vessel” or “jar”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are lymphocyte, leukocyte, phagocyte, and adipocyte.
• -dactyl is a suffix derived from the Greek word « daktulos » (δάκτυλος), which means “finger”.
• -derm ⇒ from « derma » (δέρμα), which means “skin”. Etymologically related suffixes include -derma and -dermatous.
• -desis ⇒ from « desis » (δέσῐς), which means “binding together”.
• -dipsia ⇒ from « dipsa » (δῐ́ψᾰ), which means “thirst” in Greek.
• -drome ⇒ The suffix -drome is derived from the Greek word « dromos » (δρόμος), which means “racetrack”. This suffix is used to form words that usually refer to places designed for racing or competition.

  Word	Definition
  velodrome	A track for bicycle racing.
  hippodrome	An arena for horse racing.
  aerodrome	An open field that is used for the takeoff and landing of aircraft. Unlike an airport, it may not have paved runways or terminals.

• -dromous is a suffix derived from the Greek word « dromos » (δρόμος), which means “race” or “running”.
• -ean is a Greek suffix that is often used to form adjectives from proper nouns. Euclidean, Pythagorean, and Mephistophelian are examples of vocabulary words formed with this suffix.
• -ectomy ⇒ from the Greek word « -ektomia » (-εκτομία), which means “a cutting out of”.
• -eme is a suffix that mostly appears in linguistics-related vocabulary words, and which is related to the Greek word « phonema » (φώνημα), meaning “sound”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are phoneme, grapheme, and lexeme.
• -emia ⇒ from « haimatos » (αἵμᾰτος), which means “blood”.
• -ene is a Greek suffix that is used to form chemistry-related vocabulary words, such as benzene and acetylene.
• -ess is a suffix that is used to produce the female form of a word. It comes from the Ancient Greek suffix « -issa » (-ισσα). Vocabulary words formed with this suffix include goddess and heiress.
• -gamy is similar to the suffix -gamous, except that it forms nouns instead of adjectives.
• -gastria is a suffix derived from the Greek word « gaster » (γαστήρ), which means “stomach”.
• -gen is a Greek suffix that means “producer of”. The etymology of this suffix is « -genes » (-γενής). Oxygen and adaptogen are examples of words formed with this suffix.
• -genesis is a suffix meaning “production” or “origin”, which is derived from the ancient Greek word « genesis » (γένεσις). This suffix appears in many biology-related vocabulary words such as neurogenesis and glucogenesis.
• -genic is a suffix derived from the Greek word « -genes » (-γενής), which means “offspring” or “kind”.
• -geny is a Greek suffix meaning “origin” or “production”. It appears in scientific terms such as crystallogeny (the production of crystals) and lithogeny (the production of rocks).
• -glossia ⇒ from « glossa » (γλῶσσα), which means “tongue”.
• -gon is a suffix derived from the Greek word « gonia » (γωνία), which means “corner” or “angle”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are polygon, pentagon, and hexagon.
• -gony ⇒ from « gone » (γονή), which means “generation”.
• -grapher is a suffix derived from the Greek word « grapho » (γράφω), which means “I write”.
• -graphic Some examples of words formed using this suffix are photographic, demographic, and cryptographic.
• -hedra ⇒ from « hedra » (ἕδρα), which means “face of a geometric solid”. Related to the suffix -hedron.
• -iatric ⇒ from « iatrikos » (ἰᾱτρικός), which means “medical”.
• -iatrics ⇒ from « iatros » (ἰατρός), which means “doctor”.
• -iatry is a suffix derived from the Greek word « iatreia » (ἰατρεία), which means “healing” or “medical treatment”.
• -ical is a common Greek suffix used to create adjectives from nouns, and it means “pertaining to”. Some examples of English vocabulary words formed with this suffix are mythical, botanical, and theoretical.
• -itis is a suffix derived from the Greek word « -itis » (-ῖτις), which means “pertaining to”. This is a suffix that is mainly used in medical-related vocabulary words.
• -ize is a very common suffix that produces verbs from nouns or adjectives. Its origin is the Greek suffix « -izo » (-ίζω), and it entered the English language via Latin and French. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are symbolize, synchronize, and emphasize.
• -kinesis is a suffix derived from the Greek word « kinesis » (κίνησις), which means “motion” or “movement”.
• -lalia ⇒ from « lalia » (λαλιά), which means “talk” or “chat”.
• -latry ⇒ from « latreia » (λατρεία), which means “service” or “worship”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is idolatry.
• -lect is a suffix derived from the Greek word « lego » (λέγω), which means “I say or speak”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is dialect.
• -lysis ⇒ from « lusis » (λύσις), which means “a loosening”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are analysis, catalysis, hydrolysis, and pyrolysis.
• -lyte ⇒ from « lutos » (λυτός), which means “released”. Electrolyte is an example of a word containing this suffix.
• -machy is an uncommon Greek suffix derived from the word « makhe » (μάχη), which means “battle” or “dispute”. The use of this suffix is mostly restricted to words from Greek mythology such as amazonomachy, titanomachy, and gigantomachy.
• -mancy ⇒ from « manteia » (μᾰντείᾱ), which means “divination”.
• -mastia is a suffix derived from the Greek word « mastos » (μαστός), which means “breast”. The use of this suffix is mostly restricted to technical medical-related vocabulary words.
• -megaly is a suffix that is rarely used outside of technical medical-related vocabulary words. It means “enlargement,” and it comes from the ancient Greek word « megalos » (μεγάλος).
• -mere ⇒ from « meros » (μέρος), which means “part”. Telomere is an example of a vocabulary word with this suffix. Etymologically related suffixes include -mer and -merous.
• -morph ⇒ from « morphe » (μορφή), which means “form” or “shape”.
• -morphic is a suffix that has the same etymology as the suffix -morph.
• -morphism ⇒ from « morphe » (μορφή), which means “form” or “shape”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are dimorphism, isomorphism, polymorphism, and homomorphism.
• -mycete ⇒ from « mukes » (μύκης), which means “mushroom” or “fungus”.
• -nema is a suffix derived from the Greek word « nema » (νῆμᾰ), which means “thread”.
• -nomicon ⇒from « nomikos » (νομικός), which means “relating to laws”.
• -ode is a suffix derived from the Greek word « hodos » (ὁδός), which means “way”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is episode.
• -odont ⇒ from « odous » (ὀδούς), which means “tooth”.
• -odynia is a suffix derived from the Greek word « odune » (ὀδύνη), which means “grief” or “unhappiness”. The use of this suffix is mostly restricted to the formation of highly technical vocabulary words in medicine.
• -oecious ⇒ from « oikia » (οἰκία), which means “house”.
• -ome ⇒ from « soma » (σῶμα), which means “body”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are genome and chromosome.
• -opsy is a suffix derived from the Greek word « opsis » (ὄψις), which means “view”. This suffix is found, for example, in the word autopsy.
• -otic is a Greek suffix that entered the English language through Latin and French. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are symbiotic, chaotic, exotic, and idiotic.
• -pagus ⇒ from « pagos » (πάγος), which means “fixed” or “set”.
• -path is a suffix derived from the Greek word « pathos » (πάθος), which means “suffering”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are psychopath and sociopath.
• -pathic is a suffix derived from the Greek word « pathos » (πάθος), which means “suffering”.
• -pause ⇒ from « pausis » (παῦσις), which means “discontinuance”.
• -pedia ⇒ from « paideia » (παιδεία), which means “education”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is encyclopedia.
• -penia ⇒ from « penia » (πενία), which means “poverty” or “lack”.
• -pexy is a suffix meaning “to fasten” which comes from the ancient Greek word « pexis » (πῆξις). It appears mostly in medical-related vocabulary words.
• -phage is a suffix derived from the Greek word « phagos » (φάγος), which means “eater” or “glutton”. Etymologically related suffixes include -phagia, -phagic, -phagous, and -phagy.
• -phany is a suffix derived from the Greek word « phaino » (φαίνω), which means “shine” or “appear.” An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is epiphany.
• -phasia ⇒ from « phasis » (φάσις), which means “utterance”.
• -philia is a suffix derived from the Greek word « philia » (φιλία), which means “fraternal love”.
• -philic is a suffix derived from the Greek word « philos » (φίλος), which means “love”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are hydrophilic, thermophilic, and lipophilic.
• -philous ⇒ from « philos » (φίλος), which means “love”.
• -phobe is a suffix that is etymologically related to the suffix -phobia.
• -phobic is a suffix with the same meaning as the suffix -phobia, but it is used to form adjectives instead of nouns.
• -phor(e) is a suffix derived from the Greek word « -phoros » (-φόρος), which means “bearing”. Some examples of vocabulary words with this suffix are metaphor and semaphore.
• -phoresis ⇒ from « phoresis » (φόρησῐς), which means “an act of bearing” or “wearing”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are electrophoresis and thermophoresis.
• -phrenia ⇒ from the Greek word phren (φρήν), which means “mind”.
• -phyll is a suffix derived from the Greek word « phullon » (φύλλον), which means “leaf”. This suffix appears in some botany-related words such as chlorophyll, sclerophyll, and mesophyll.
• -phyllous ⇒ from « phullon » (ϕύλλον), which means “leaf”.
• -physis ⇒ from « phusis » (φύσις), meaning “growth” or “bring forth”.
• -phyte ⇒ from « phuton » (φυτόν), which means “plant”. The vocabulary word neophyte, which means “beginner”, contains this suffix, and its etymology is “new plant”.
• -plasia ⇒ from « plasis » (πλάσις), which means “molding” or “formation”.
• -plegia is a suffix derived from the Greek word « plessein » (πλήσσειν), which means “to strike”.
• -ploid is a Greek suffix that means “-fold”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are diploid and haploid.
• -pnea is a suffix that means “breathing”. It derived from the Greek word « pnoe » (πνοή), meaning “breath”. This suffix appears in the word apnea where it is combined with the prefix a- meaning “absence of”.
• -pod ⇒ from the Greek word « pous » (πούς), which means “foot” or “leg”.

  Word	Definition
  tripod	A three-legged stand or support, such as a camera tripod.
  cephalopod	A marine mollusk with tentacles attached to its head, such as an octopus or squid.
  gastropod	A mollusk with a flattened, muscular foot and a single, spiraled shell or no shell at all, such as a snail or slug.

• -poeia ⇒ from the Greek word « poieo » (ποιέω), which means “I make”. An example of a vocabulary word containing one of these suffixes is onomatopoeia.
• -pter ⇒ from « pteron » (πτερόν), which means “wing”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is helicopter.
• -ptile is a suffix meaning “feather” or “leaf”. It comes from the ancient Greek word « ptilon » (πτῐ́λον). The word reptile is not formed using this suffix, instead, it comes from the Latin word rēpō meaning “to creep”.
• -rama is a suffix derived from the Greek word « horama » (ὅρᾱμᾰ), which means “sight” or “spectacle”. This suffix appears, for example, in the word panorama where it is combined with the prefix pan- which means “all”.
• -rrhagia ⇒ from « rhegnumi » (ῥήγνυμι), which means “to break” or “burst”. It appears in highly technical medical-related vocabulary words.
• -rrhaphy is a suffix that appears in highly technical medical-related vocabulary words. It is derived from the Greek word « rhapto » (ῥάπτω), which means “I sew”.
• -rrhea ⇒ from « rhoia » (ῥοία), which means “flow” or “flux”. This suffix is found, for example, in the word diarrhea, where it is combined with the prefix -dia which means “through” or “across”.
• -saur ⇒ from the word « sauros » (σαῦρος), which means “lizard” or “reptile”.
• -saurus is a Greek suffix that appears in the names of many dinosaurs, for example tyrannosaurus, stegosaurus, and brontosaurus. Just like the suffix -saur, this one is also derived from the Greek word « sauros » (σαῦρος), which means “lizard” or “reptile”.
• -scopy ⇒ from « skopeo » (σκοπέω), which means “to see”. This suffix is found in scientific vocabulary words such as spectroscopy and microscopy.
• -sis ⇒ from the Ancient Greek suffix « -sis » (-σις), which forms nouns of action. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are emphasis and genesis.
• -stome is an uncommon Greek suffix that means “mouth”. It comes from the ancient Greek word « stoma » (στόμα), and it is found in highly technical biology-related words such as cytostome.
• -strophy ⇒ from « strophe » (στροφή), which means “a turn” or “bend” or “twist”.
• -style ⇒ from « stulos » (στῦλος), which means “pillar” or “column”.
• -tene ⇒ from « tainia » (ταινία), which means “ribbon,” “band,” or “fillet”.
• -therm is a suffix derived from the Greek word « thermos » (θερμός), which means “heat”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is isotherm.
• -thermic ⇒ from « thermos » (θερμός), which means “heat”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are hypothermic, homeothermic, and hyperthermic.
• -tome ⇒ from « -tomon » (-τομον), which means “that cuts”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is epitome.
• -tomy ⇒ from « temno » (τέμνω), which means “I cut”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are anatomy and dichotomy.
• -tope is a suffix derived from the Greek word « topos » (τόπος), which means “place”.
• -topia ⇒ from « topos » (τόπος), which means “place”. Utopia and dystopia are vocabulary words containing this suffix.
• -treme is a suffix that comes from the ancient Greek word « trema » meaning “hole” or “aperture”.
• -tron is a suffix that is used in forming the names of instruments or particles. Cyclotron is an example of a vocabulary word that uses this suffix.
• -trope is a suffix derived from the Greek word « tropos » (τρόπος), which means “manner” or “style”.
• -troph ⇒ from « trophe » (τροφή), which means “nourishment”. Etymologically related suffixes include -trophic and -trophy. An example of a vocabulary word containing this suffix is atrophy.
• -tropy ⇒ from « tropos » (τρόπος), which means “way” or “manner”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is entropy.
• -urgy is a suffix derived from the Greek word « ergon » (ἔργον), which means “work”. Some examples of words formed using this suffix are liturgy and metallurgy.
• -uria ⇒ from « ouron » (οὖρον), which means “urine”.
• -xeny ⇒ from « xenos » (ξένος), which means “foreign”. An example of a vocabulary word with this suffix is proxeny.
• -yl ⇒ from « hule » (ὕλη), which means “wood” or “material”. This Greek suffix appears in chemistry-related words such as vinyl and methyl.
• -zoic ⇒ from « zoion » (ζῷον), which means “animal”. This suffix appears in the names of some geological eras, like Cenozoic, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic. It is similar to the suffix -zoon.