-penia
a combining form used in the formation of compound words that have the general sense “lack, deficiency,” as specified by the initial element:
leukopenia.
-penia suff.
lack; deficiency: leukopenia.
Read Also:
- -person
a combining form of person, replacing in existing compound words such paired, s-x-specific forms as -man, and -woman, or -er1, and -ess: chairperson; salesperson; waitperson. usage note -person suffix sometimes used instead of -man and -woman or -lady chairperson, salesperson -man
- -petal
a combining form meaning “seeking, moving toward” that specified by the initial element, used in the formation of compound words: acropetal. -petal combining form seeking centripetal word origin from new latin -petus, from latin petere to seek -petal suff. moving toward: basipetal.
- -pexy
-pexy suff. surgical fixation of an organ: hysteropexy.
- -phag
a combining form meaning “a thing that devours,” used in the formation of compound words, especially the names of phagocytes: macrophage. also, -phag. compare phago-, -phagous, -phagy. -phage combining form indicating something that eats or consumes something specified bacteriophage derived forms -phagous, combining_form:in_adjective word origin from greek -phagos; see phago- -phage suff. one that eats: […]
- -phage
a combining form meaning “a thing that devours,” used in the formation of compound words, especially the names of phagocytes: macrophage. also, -phag. compare phago-, -phagous, -phagy. -phage combining form indicating something that eats or consumes something specified bacteriophage derived forms -phagous, combining_form:in_adjective word origin from greek -phagos; see phago- -phage suff. one that eats: […]