Final answer:
The suffix -malacia means the softening of tissues, and it signifies a pathological condition in medical terms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The suffix -malacia refers to the softening of tissues. In medical terminology, it is used to denote a pathological condition where tissues are abnormaly soft, often due to inflammation, disease, or other damaging processes. For example, in the term myomalacia, 'myo-' refers to muscle, and -malacia means the softening of the muscle tissue.