Which suffix denotes disease or disorder?

• A. -pathy
• B. -itis
• C. -oma
• D. -osis

Answer: (A)

Suffixes in medical terms indicate the nature of a condition. -pathy denotes disease or disorder of a tissue, organ, or body system, as seen in neuropathy (nerve disease), cardiopathy (heart disease), and myopathy (muscle disease). In contrast, -itis signals inflammation, -oma signals a tumor or mass, and -osis indicates a condition or process, often abnormal. Therefore, the suffix that denotes disease or disorder is -pathy.