Final answer:
The suffix '-cele' means 'hernia' or 'swelling,' and in the word 'rectocele,' it describes a bulging of the rectum into the vagina.
Step-by-step explanation:
The suffix -cele in medical terminology typically refers to a 'hernia' or 'swelling' due to a protrusion of a part of an organ through a weakened point of its containing structures. In the context of the word rectocele, it describes a condition where the wall of the rectum bulges into the wall of the vagina due to weakening of the intervening tissue. The rectum is the final section of the large intestine, terminating at the anus, which stores feces until defecation.