The suffix -ism denotes which meaning?

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

Answer: (A)

The suffix -ism forms nouns that name a state or condition. In medical terminology, it’s used to describe a disease or health condition—a particular state someone has. That’s why it conveys meaning of a condition. It isn’t a marker for a process (that would be -ing or -tion), nor does it mean “pertaining to” (that would be -al, -ic, etc.). While many conditions can be abnormal, -ism itself simply denotes a state or condition, not the abnormality by itself. For example, hypothyroidism describes the condition of having insufficient thyroid hormone.