What does the suffix -osis indicate about a condition?

The suffix -osis is used in medical terminology to indicate an abnormal condition or disease. When it appears at the end of a word, it signifies that there is a pathology or an unusual physiological state associated with whatever it is describing. For instance, conditions like “leukosis” refer to an abnormal increase of white blood cells, and “sclerosis” means an abnormal hardening of tissue.

In contrast, the other suffixes mentioned have different implications: a suffix indicating a normal condition does not apply here, as -osis specifically denotes something unusual or problematic. Inflammation, typically represented by -itis, indicates swelling or irritation rather than an abnormal condition. Surgical repair is denoted by the suffix -plasty, which also does not relate to the -osis suffix. Therefore, understanding the function of -osis clarifies that it directly denotes an abnormal condition, making that the correct answer.