Suffix -penia means?

• A. Deficiency
• B. Decrease
• C. Absence
• D. Shortage

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested is how the suffix -penia is used in medical terms. -penia denotes a deficiency or reduced number of something in the body. That makes “deficiency” the best fit, because it specifically conveys not having enough of a component, rather than just a general decrease or complete absence.

For example, leukopenia means a low (deficient) white blood cell count, thrombocytopenia means a low platelet count, and erythropenia means a reduced red blood cell count. The other words—decrease, absence, shortage—are close ideas but don’t capture the precise medical sense that -penia conveys: a deficiency or insufficient quantity rather than merely any decline, full absence, or a generic shortage.