The combining form –algia is used like a suffix meaning “pain.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in pathology. The form -algia comes from the Greek álgos, meaning “pain.” Similar in meaning and use to algo- are odyno- and -odynia, which derive from odýnē, also meaning “pain.”

Is algia a prefix?

algia: Word ending indicating pain, as in arthralgia (joint pain), cephalgia (headache), fibromyalgia, mastalgia (breast pain), myalgia (muscle pain), and neuralgia (nerve pain). Derived from the Greek algos meaning pain.

What is a root or suffix?

A word root is a part of a word. It contains the core meaning of the word, but it cannot stand alone. ... It is placed at the beginning of a word to change its meaning. A suffix is a word part that is placed at the end of a word to change its meaning.