Which suffix means 'to cut'?

Which suffix means 'to cut'?

• A. -sect
• B. -tomy
• C. -ectomy
• D. -ostomy

Answer: (A)

The action being tested is how medical terms convey the act of cutting. The suffix that means to cut is -sect, drawn from the Latin secare meaning to cut. It appears in words like resect (to cut out) and dissect (to cut apart), where the idea is a cutting action performed on tissue. This makes -sect the best fit for the meaning “to cut.” Other suffixes have related but distinct senses: -tomy means cutting into or making an incision into something, -ectomy means surgical removal, and -ostomy means creating an opening for drainage or passage.

The action being tested is how medical terms convey the act of cutting. The suffix that means to cut is -sect, drawn from the Latin secare meaning to cut. It appears in words like resect (to cut out) and dissect (to cut apart), where the idea is a cutting action performed on tissue. This makes -sect the best fit for the meaning “to cut.” Other suffixes have related but distinct senses: -tomy means cutting into or making an incision into something, -ectomy means surgical removal, and -ostomy means creating an opening for drainage or passage.