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-itis

In medical terminology the ending -itis marks inflammation of the organ or tissue named before it. Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining, appendicitis inflammation of the appendix, otitis inflammation of the ear.

Greek ending -itis

inflammation ending

-itis

Medical terminology is a modular system. Once you know the building blocks, you can work out terms you have never seen before: word stem plus ending gives you the meaning.

Common endings

  • -itis – inflammation
  • -osis – non-inflammatory, usually degenerative change
  • -oma – growth, tumour
  • -pathy – disease in general

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