In scientific and technical English, suffixes play a key role in the formation of specialized vocabulary. A suffix is added to the end of a base word and often changes the word class (for example, from a verb to a noun or from a noun to an adjective). This process allows English to create precise terms needed to describe processes, systems, devices, and properties.

Scientific suffixes are largely derived from Latin and Greek, which is why many science terms look similar across different languages and disciplines.

 

Suffixes such as -tion / -sion, -ics, -logy, and -metry are commonly used to form nouns that describe processes, academic disciplines, or measurement systems.

  • -tion / -sion is used to name a process or action, often derived from a verb (transmit → transmission).
  • -ics refers to a scientific or academic field (physics, robotics).
  • -logy means the study or science of a particular subject (biology, technology).
  • -metry relates to measurement, especially in scientific data collection (telemetry, geometry).

These suffixes are essential in physics, biology, engineering, and data science, where processes and measurements must be named precisely.

suffix   example sentence
-tion / -sion proces transmission, transformation Data transmission must be fast and secure.
-ics vedný odbor physics, genetics, acoustics, statistics Physics explains the fundamental laws of nature.
-logy náuka biology, geology, technology Biology studies living organisms and life processes.
-metry meranie telemetry, chemistry, geometry Telemetry is used to measure and transmit data remotely.

 

Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word given at the end of the line.

 

  1. Secure data __________ is essential in modern communication networks.
    (TRANSMIT)
  2. The __________ of raw materials into finished products requires advanced technology.
    (TRANSFORM)
  3. __________ helps scientists understand how matter and energy interact.
    (PHYSIC)
  4. The study of inherited characteristics belongs to the field of __________.
    (GENE)
  5. __________ examines the structure of the Earth and the processes that shape it.
    (GEO)
  6. __________ is used in medicine and engineering to measure and transmit data over long distances.
    (TELE)
  7. __________ analyses numerical data to identify patterns and trends.
    (STATISTIC)
  8. __________ focuses on sound, vibration, and their applications in technology.
    (ACOUSTIC)

 

Answer key: 1.transmission, 2.transformation, 3.physics, 4.genetics, 5.geology, 6.telemetry, 7.statistics, 8.acoustics

WF – processes, states and fields of study