-sis

See also: Appendix:Variations of "sis"

English

Etymology

Ultimately from Ancient Greek -σις (-sis, “forms noun of action”), often via Latin or French. Identical in meaning with Latin -entia, English -ing.

Suffix

-sis (plural -ses)

1. forming nouns of action or process

   catharsis, dialysis, diagnosis, crisis

2. (medicine) forming nouns of condition

   psoriasis, sepsis, tuberculosis, psychosis

3. forming additional nouns

   basis, oasis, thesis, stasis

Usage notes

Not very productive: primarily used for borrowed terms from Ancient Greek, though there are also modern coinages based on Ancient Greek roots.

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -sis

Anagrams

• ISS, SSI

Latin

Suffix

-sīs

1. dative/ablative masculine/feminine/neuter plural of -sus

Spanish

Suffix

-sis f (noun-forming suffix, plural -sises)

1. -sis

Derived terms

Spanish terms suffixed with -sis

Further reading

• “-sis”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014