The suffix -eal indicates which meaning?

• A. Pain
• B. Without
• C. Pertaining to
• D. Position

Answer: (C)

The suffix -eal signals that a term describes a relation to a body part or structure, forming adjectives that mean “pertaining to” or “related to.” This helps you read medical terms as descriptors of location or association. For example, esophageal means pertaining to the esophagus, and perineal means pertaining to the perineum. This suffix is not about pain, absence, or a simple positional sense. Other concepts in medical terms use different endings or prefixes, such as -algia or -odynia for pain, a- or an- for without, or endings that describe position with a different form.