In medical terminology, the suffix -pathy denotes what kind of condition?

• A. It denotes a disease or pathological condition
• B. It denotes a tumor
• C. It denotes inflammation
• D. It denotes pain

Answer: (A)

The suffix -pathy denotes a disease or pathological condition. It comes from the Greek pathos meaning suffering or disease, and is attached to a root that names the affected tissue or system to describe a disorder of that part. For example, neuropathy is a disease of the nerves, and cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle. This is different from other suffixes: -itis indicates inflammation (as in dermatitis), -oma signifies a tumor or mass (as in fibroma), and -algia or related forms denote pain (as in neuralgia). So -pathy specifically points to an abnormal disease state or dysfunction, rather than inflammation, growth, or pain.