Which suffix denotes development?

• A. Development
• B. Inflammation
• C. Record
• D. Mass

Answer: (A)

Recognizing how endings signal meaning is being tested here. Development means growth or formation, so a suffix that conveys this idea should point to development. In medical terms, different endings signal different concepts: for example, inflammation is shown by -itis, a recording or charted item by -gram or -graph, and a mass or tumor by -oma. The word development literally carries the concept of growth, making it the best choice to denote development. The other endings describe other processes, not development.