The Suffix '-scope': Meaning, Etymology, and Examples

The suffix -scope (from Greek skopein, "to look at, examine") forms nouns denoting instruments for viewing or observing.

Common Examples

• Microscope: View tiny objects (micro- = small).
• Telescope: View distant objects (tele- = far).
• Endoscope: View inside the body (endo- = within).
• Stethoscope: Listen to internal sounds (stetho- = chest).
• Horoscope: "Viewing the hour" (astro- + scope); originally astrological chart.
• Gyroscope: Device for measuring orientation (gyro- = rotation).
• Oscilloscope: View voltage oscillations.

Related Suffix

-scopy = the process of viewing (e.g., endoscopy, microscopy).