-oma
terminal element repr. Gr. -ωµα, in which ω repr. ω (or ο) in the parent word (usu. a vb.) and -µα is a Gr. suffix forming neut. ns., exemplified in Eng. words adopted from the Gr. such as carcinoma, coloboma, derma, diploma, eczema, glaucoma, phyma, plasma, sarcoma, trachoma, and in words on Gr. analogy such as lipoma. In Bot. -oma has usu. been anglicized to -ome. In Med. the examples of sarcoma (17th c. in English) and carcinoma (18th c.) have been taken as types on which to base new names of neoplasms and other localized swellings, -oma († -ome) being used as a suffix denoting ‘tumour, growth’ (cf. also Gr. ὄγκωµα swelling): e.g. fibroma († fibrome), cementoma, oligodendroglioma, tuberculoma († tuberculome).