The suffix -ia denotes which meaning?

• A. Condition of
• B. Abnormal condition
• C. Process
• D. Pertaining to

Answer: (A)

Suffix -ia signals a state or condition. It turns a root into a noun that names the state of the body or a disease-like condition. For example, anemia names the condition of lacking blood, and insomnia names the condition of not sleeping. This suffix is not about a process (that would be terms ending in -ation or -ing) and it isn’t specifically about “pertaining to” (that meaning comes from endings like -ic or -al). Because the question is asking for the meaning of -ia, it best corresponds to “condition of,” since it primarily denotes a state or condition.