Medical Suffix

-ic

pertaining to

From Latin -icus and Greek -ikos, adjective endings

Meaning

What does -ic mean?

-ic is a suffix meaning pertaining to. It comes from Latin -icus and Greek -ikos, adjective endings.

Joined to -al it makes -ical, as in surgical and neurological, and the meaning stays the same: pertaining to.

In real words

gastric
1. Rootgastr/ostomach
2. Suffix-icpertaining to
relating to the stomach
hepatic
1. Roothepat/oliver
2. Suffix-icpertaining to
relating to the liver
thoracic
1. Rootthorac/ochest, thorax
2. Suffix-icpertaining to
relating to the chest
pancreatic
1. Rootpancreat/opancreas
2. Suffix-icpertaining to
relating to the pancreas
toxic
1. Roottox/opoison
2. Suffix-icpertaining to
poisonous, or harmful to the body
optic
1. Rootopt/ovision
2. Suffix-icpertaining to
relating to the eye or to sight
aortic
1. Rootaort/oaorta
2. Suffix-icpertaining to
relating to or affecting the aorta, as in aortic valve or aortic aneurysm
lactic
1. Rootlact/omilk
2. Suffix-icpertaining to
relating to or obtained from milk, as in lactic acid

Don't mix it up

Sources

Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:

Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

Practice it

-ic is one of 14 parts in this lesson. Learn them together, then take real words apart.