The suffix -emia means

• A. blood condition
• B. death
• C. protrusion, hernia
• D. dilation; expansion

Answer: (A)

The idea behind this suffix is that it signals a condition of the blood. The root haima means blood, so adding -emia creates terms that describe a situation or state related to the blood, such as anemia (low red blood cells) or leukemia (a blood-forming cancer). Because the suffix directly refers to blood in this way, it best fits the question. The other endings point to different ideas—protrusion or hernia is usually -cele, dilation or expansion is -ectasis—so they don’t convey the blood-related meaning this suffix does.