The suffix -oma denotes which of the following?

• A. enlargement
• B. tumor
• C. inflammation
• D. record, writing

Answer: (B)

The suffix -oma refers to a tumor or abnormal growth. It shows up in terms like lipoma (a fatty tumor) and melanoma (a pigmented tumor), signaling a mass resulting from tissue proliferation that can be benign or malignant. This is different from enlargement, which is indicated by -megaly (as in cardiomegaly for an enlarged heart); inflammation, indicated by -itis (gastritis); and a written record, indicated by -gram (electrocardiogram). So, the best answer is tumor, because -oma is the standard suffix used to denote a growth or mass in medical terms.