what is suffix -phagia means
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
The suffix “-phagia” means “eating” or “swallowing.”
Explanation
The suffix “-phagia” is derived from the Greek word phagein, meaning “to eat.” It is commonly used in medical terminology to describe conditions related to eating, swallowing, or the consumption of substances.
This suffix appears in various contexts across biology and medicine. For example, in the term dysphagia, “dys-” means difficulty or abnormal, so dysphagia refers to difficulty in swallowing. Another example is polyphagia, where “poly-” means many or excessive, thus polyphagia refers to excessive eating, often seen in conditions like diabetes mellitus. Similarly, aerophagia combines “aero-” (air) with “-phagia,” and it describes the condition of swallowing air, which can lead to bloating or discomfort.
In zoology and microbiology, the suffix is also found in names of organisms or cells that consume others. For instance, macrophages are immune cells that engulf and digest pathogens or cellular debris; “macro-” means large, so a macrophage is a “large eater.”
The presence of the suffix often signals a process or condition involving intake or ingestion. It can indicate normal behavior, such as in phagocytosis (a process where cells ingest particles), or abnormal states, as in coprophagia (the consumption of feces), which may occur in animals or result from psychiatric disorders in humans.
In summary, “-phagia” is a versatile suffix used to describe actions or disorders related to eating and swallowing. Its usage helps medical professionals, biologists, and researchers accurately identify and describe a wide range of physiological and pathological phenomena.
