The suffix "-penia" indicates what concept?

• A. Lacking or reducing in number
• B. Expressing primarily by speech
• C. Reshaping or remodeling surgically
• D. Fastening

Answer: (A)

In medical terms, the suffix -penia signals a deficiency or decrease in number. It comes from a root meaning lack, so you see terms like leukopenia (low white blood cells), thrombocytopenia (low platelets), and osteopenia (reduced bone density). This makes the idea of “lacking or reducing in number” the exact concept conveyed by -penia. Other suffixes signal different ideas (for example, -phonia or -phone relates to speech, -plasty to surgical shaping, -pexy to fastening), so they don’t describe a numerical deficiency.