The suffix -otomy means

• A. incision; cut into
• B. crushing
• C. study of
• D. protrusion, hernia

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that the suffix -otomy signals a surgical opening or incision into a body part. It describes cutting into something to create an opening, as seen in terms like tracheotomy or craniotomy, where the procedure involves making an incision to access the interior.

This aligns with the meaning “incision; cut into.” Other suffixes point to different actions: -tripsy means crushing (as in lithotripsy), -logy means the study of, and -cele denotes a hernia or protrusion. Those distinctions show why -otomy is the correct choice for “incision; cut into.”