The suffix -ic indicates which meaning?

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

Answer: (C)

The suffix -ic forms adjectives that mean pertaining to or relating to something. So it links a word to its object or field. For example, gastric means pertaining to the stomach, cardiac means pertaining to the heart, and hepatic means pertaining to the liver. In this sense, the ending -ic signals a relationship or association.

Pain is typically indicated by endings like -algia or -odynia; without is shown by a prefix such as a- or an-; infection is often described with endings like -itis or -osis or by terms that specify inflammation or disease, rather than by -ic.