Medical encyclopedia

Let food Be thy medicine & medicine thy food - Hippocrates WikiMD is the world's largest free food, medicine & wellness encyclopedia.

An encyclopedia of medicine.

abasia - noun inability to walk

abdomen - noun the region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis; the cavity containing the major viscera; in mammals it is separated from the thorax by the diaphragm

aberdeen - noun a city in northeastern Scotland on the North Sea; a town in northeastern Maryland; a town in northeastern South Dakota; a town in western Washington

abortion - noun termination of pregnancy; failure of a plan

abrasion - noun erosion by friction; an abraded area where the skin is torn or worn off; the wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water or wind or ice

abstinence - noun act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite; the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)

academic - adj. hypothetical or theoretical and not expected to produce an immediate or practical result; marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects; associated with academia or an academy; noun an educator who works at a college or university

acanthocephala - noun phylum or class of elongated wormlike parasites that live in the intestines of vertebrates: spiny-headed worms

acantholysis - noun a breakdown of a cell layer in the epidermis (as in pemphigus)

acholia - noun a condition in which little or no bile is secreted or the flow of bile into the digestive tract is obstructed

acinus - noun one of the small sacs or saclike dilations in a compound gland; one of the small drupes making up an aggregate or multiple fruit like a blackberry

acrophobia - noun a morbid fear of great heights

act up - verb make itself felt as a recurring pain; misbehave badly; act in a silly or improper way

active placebo - noun a placebo used in experimental tests of a drug that has noticeable side effects

acupuncture - noun treatment of pain or disease by inserting the tips of needles at specific points on the skin

acute - adj. having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course; of critical importance and consequence; extremely sharp or intense; having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions; of an angle; less than 90 degrees; ending in a sharp point; noun a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation

adenitis - noun inflammation of a gland or lymph node

adenosine - noun (biochemistry) a nucleoside that is a structural component of nucleic acids; it is present in all living cells in a combined form as a constituent of DNA and RNA and ADP and ATP and AMP

adherence - noun faithful support for a religion or cause or political party; the property of sticking together (as of glue and wood) or the joining of surfaces of different composition

adhesion - noun a fibrous band of scar tissue that binds together normally separate anatomical structures; abnormal union of bodily tissues; most common in the abdomen; faithful support for a religion or cause or political party; the property of sticking together (as of glue and wood) or the joining of surfaces of different composition

adrenalectomy - noun surgical removal of one or both adrenal glands

adrenaline - noun a catecholamine secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress (trade name Adrenalin); stimulates autonomic nerve action

advocate - noun a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea; a lawyer who pleads cases in court; verb speak, plead, or argue in favour of; push for something

adynamia - noun lack of strength or vigor (especially from illness)

agenesis - noun imperfect development; nondevelopment of a part

agent orange - noun a herbicide used in the Vietnam War to defoliate forest areas

agnosia - noun inability to recognize objects by use of the senses

agonist - noun (biochemistry) a drug that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction; a muscle that contracts while another relaxes; someone involved in a contest or battle (as in an agon); the principal character in a work of fiction

agoraphobia - noun a morbid fear of open spaces (as fear of being caught alone in some public place)

agriculture - noun the class of people engaged in growing food; the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock; a large-scale farming enterprise; the federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers (including research and soil conservation and efforts to stabilize the farming economy); created in 1862

aides - noun (Greek mythology) the god of the underworld in ancient mythology; brother of Zeus and husband of Persephone

aids - noun a serious (often fatal) disease of the immune system transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles

airborne - adj. moved or conveyed by or through air

alienist - noun a psychiatrist and specialist in the legal aspects of mental illness

allergist - noun a physician skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies

allergy - noun hypersensitivity reaction to a particular allergen; symptoms can vary greatly in intensity

almanac - noun an annual publication containing tabular information in a particular field or fields arranged according to the calendar of a given year; an annual publication including weather forecasts and other miscellaneous information arranged according to the calendar of a given year

alternative medicine - noun the practice of medicine without the use of drugs; may involve herbal medicines or self-awareness or biofeedback or acupuncture

alum - noun a double sulphate of aluminum and potassium that is used as an astringent (among other things); a white crystalline double sulfate of aluminum: the potassium double sulfate of aluminum; a white crystalline double sulfate of aluminum: the ammonium double sulfate of aluminum; a person who has received a degree from a school (high school or college or university)

aluminium oxide - noun any of various forms of aluminum oxide occurring naturally as corundum

amaurosis - noun partial or total loss of sight without pathology of the eye; caused by disease of optic nerve or retina or brain

amber - adj. of a medium to dark brownish yellow color; noun a deep yellow color; a hard yellowish to brownish translucent fossil resin; used for jewelry

ambergris - noun waxy substance secreted by the sperm whale and found floating at sea or washed ashore; used in perfume

ambrosia - noun (classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal; fruit dessert made of oranges and bananas with shredded coconut; any of numerous chiefly North American weedy plants constituting the genus Ambrosia that produce highly allergenic pollen responsible for much hay fever and asthma; a mixture of nectar and pollen prepared by worker bees and fed to larvae

ambulatory - adj. relating to or adapted for walking; able to walk about; noun a covered walkway (as in a cloister)

american - adj. of or relating to or characteristic of the continents and islands of the Americas; of or relating to the United States of America or its people or language or culture; noun a native or inhabitant of a North American or Central American or South American country; a native or inhabitant of the United States; the English language as used in the United States

amiodarone - noun an antiarrhythmic drug (trade name Cordarone) that has potentially fatal side effects and is used to control serious heart rhythm problems only when safer agents have been ineffective

amplification - noun (electronics) the act of increasing voltage or power or current; addition of extra material or illustration or clarifying detail; the amount of increase in signal power or voltage or current expressed as the ratio of output to input

amygdalin - noun a bitter cyanogenic glucoside extracted from the seeds of apricots and plums and bitter almonds

anaesthesia - noun loss of bodily sensation with or without loss of consciousness

analyze - verb subject to psychoanalytic treatment; make a mathematical, chemical, or grammatical analysis of; break down into components or essential features; consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning; break down into components or essential features

anasarca - noun generalized edema with accumulation of serum in subcutaneous connective tissue

anatomy - noun a detailed analysis; the branch of morphology that deals with the structure of animals; alternative names for the body of a human being

animal - adj. of the nature of or characteristic of or derived from an animal or animals; marked by the appetites and passions of the body; noun a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

animal disease - noun a disease that typically does not affect human beings

animation - noun the making of animated cartoons; quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous; the property of being able to survive and grow; the condition of living or the state of being alive; general activity and motion; the activity of giving vitality and vigour to something

annulus - noun (Fungi) remnant of the partial veil that in mature mushrooms surrounds the lower part of the stem; a toroidal shape

anodyne - adj. capable of relieving pain; noun a medicine used to relieve pain

anorchia - noun absence of one of both testes

another - adj. any of various alternatives; some other

antagonism - noun (biochemistry) interference in or inhibition of the physiological action of a chemical substance by another having a similar structure; an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility; the relation between opposing principles or forces or factors; a state of deep-seated ill-will

anthrax - noun a disease of humans that is not communicable; caused by infection with Bacillus anthracis followed by septicemia; a highly infectious animal disease (especially cattle and sheep); it can be transmitted to people

antibiotic - adj. of or relating to antibiotic drugs; noun a chemical substance derivable from a mold or bacterium that kills microorganisms and cures infections

anticholinergic - adj. inhibiting or blocking the action of acetylcholine at a receptor site; noun a substance that opposes or blocks the action of acetylcholine

antidromic - adj. conducting nerve impulses in a direction opposite to normal

antifungal - adj. capable of destroying fungi; noun any agent that destroys or prevents the growth of fungi

anxiety - noun a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune; a relatively permanent state of anxiety occurring in a variety of mental disorders

anxiety disorder - noun a cover term for a variety of mental disorders in which severe anxiety is a salient symptom

apgar score - noun an assessment of the physical condition of a newborn infant; involves heart rate and muscle tone and respiratory effort and color and reflex responsiveness

apheresis - noun a procedure in which blood is drawn and separated into its components by dialysis; some are retained and the rest are returned to the donor by transfusion; (linguistics) omission at the beginning of a word as in `coon' for `raccoon' or `till' for `until'

aplasia - noun failure of some tissue or organ to develop

apnea - noun transient cessation of respiration

apomorphine - noun a morphine derivative that is not as strong as morphine; used as an emetic and in small doses as a sedative

apoptosis - noun a type of cell death in which the cell uses specialized cellular machinery to kill itself; a cell suicide mechanism that enables metazoans to control cell number and eliminate cells that threaten the animal's survival

apothecary - noun a health professional trained in the art of preparing and dispensing drugs

appendage - noun a part that is joined to something larger; a natural prolongation or projection from a part of an organism either animal or plant; an external body part that projects from the body

armour - noun tough more-or-less rigid protective covering of an animal or plant; protective covering made of metal and used in combat; a military unit consisting of armored fighting vehicles; verb equip with armor

arrested development - noun an abnormal state in which development has stopped prematurely

arthritis - noun inflammation of a joint or joints

arthrocentesis - noun removal of fluid from a joint by centesis

arthropathy - noun a pathology or abnormality of a joint

arthroscopy - noun a minimally invasive operation to repair a damaged joint; the surgeon examines the joint with an arthroscope while making repairs through a small incision

artificial heart - noun a pump that replaces the natural heart

ash wednesday - noun the 7th Wednesday before Easter; the first day of Lent; the day following Mardi Gras (`fat Tuesday'); a day of fasting and repentance

aspirator - noun a pump that draws air or another gas through a liquid

aspirin - noun the acetylated derivative of salicylic acid; used as an analgesic anti-inflammatory drug (trade names Bayer and Empirin) usually taken in tablet form; used as an antipyretic; slows clotting of the blood by poisoning platelets

astringent - adj. tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue; sour or bitter in taste; noun a drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals

asylum - noun a hospital for mentally incompetent or unbalanced person; a shelter from danger or hardship

asymptomatic - adj. having no symptoms of illness or disease

asynergy - noun absence of coordination of organs or body parts that usually work together harmoniously

asystole - noun absence of systole; failure of the ventricles of the heart to contract (usually caused by ventricular fibrillation) with consequent absence of the heart beat leading to oxygen lack and eventually to death

atlanta - noun a siege in which Federal troops under Sherman cut off the railroads supplying the city and then burned it; 1864; state capital and largest city of Georgia; chief commercial center of the southeastern United States; was plundered and burned by Sherman's army during the American Civil War

atony - noun lack of normal muscular tension or tonus

atresia - noun an abnormal condition in which a normal opening or tube in the body (as the urethra) is closed or absent

atropine - noun a poisonous crystalline alkaloid extracted from the nightshade family; used as an antispasmodic and to dilate the eye pupil; also administered in large amounts as an antidote for organophosphate nerve agents or organophosphate insecticides

auditory agnosia - noun inability to recognize or understand the meaning of spoken words

augusta - noun a city in eastern Georgia north-northwest of Savannah; noted for golf tournaments; the capital of the state of Maine

aura - noun an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint; a sensation (as of a cold breeze or bright light) that precedes the onset of certain disorders such as a migraine attack or epileptic seizure; a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing

auscultation - noun listening to sounds within the body (usually with a stethoscope)

author - noun someone who originates or causes or initiates something; writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay); verb be the author of

autoclave - noun a device for heating substances above their boiling point; used to manufacture chemicals or to sterilize surgical instruments; verb subject to the action of an autoclave

autoimmune disease - noun any of a large group of diseases characterized by abnormal functioning of the immune system that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against your own tissues

autoinjector - noun a hypodermic syringe to use in injecting yourself with a liquid

autolysis - noun lysis of plant or animal tissue by an internal process

automatism - noun any reaction that occurs automatically without conscious thought or reflection (especially the undirected behavior seen in psychomotor epilepsy)

autopsy - noun an examination and dissection of a dead body to determine cause of death or the changes produced by disease; verb perform an autopsy on a dead body; do a post-mortem

autotomy - noun spontaneous removal or casting off of a body part (as the tail of a lizard or claw or a lobster) especially when the organism is injured or under attack

averroes - noun Arabian philosopher born in Spain; wrote detailed commentaries on Aristotle that were admired by the Schoolmen (1126-1198)

avicenna - noun Arabian physician and influential Islamic philosopher; his interpretation of Aristotle influenced St. Thomas Aquinas; writings on medicine were important for almost 500 years (980-1037)

axolotl - noun larval salamander of mountain lakes of Mexico that usually lives without metamorphosing

ayurveda - noun (Sanskrit) an ancient medical treatise summarizing the Hindu art of healing and prolonging life; sometimes regarded as a 5th Veda

azathioprine - noun an immunosuppressive drug (trade name Imuran) used to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ

azygos - adj. occurring singly; not one of a pair

bachelor of medicine - noun (a British degree) a bachelor's degree in medicine

backscratcher - noun a long-handled scratcher for scratching your back; someone who is willing to trade favors or services for mutual advantage

baker - noun someone who bakes bread or cake; someone who bakes commercially

balanitis - noun inflammation of the head of the penis

balm of gilead - noun small evergreen tree of Africa and Asia; leaves have a strong aromatic odor when bruised; a fragrant oleoresin; medium-sized fir of northeastern North America; leaves smell of balsam when crushed; much used for pulpwood and Christmas trees

banding - noun an adornment consisting of a strip of a contrasting color or material; a stripe or stripes of contrasting color

bart - noun a member of the British order of honor; ranks below a baron but above a knight

baseline - noun the lines a baseball player must follow while running the bases; an imaginary line or standard by which things are measured or compared; the back line bounding each end of a tennis or handball court; when serving the server must not step over this line

bed rest - noun confinement to bed continuously (as in the case of some sick or injured persons)

bedpan - noun a shallow vessel used by a bedridden patient for defecation and urination

belgium - noun a monarchy in northwestern Europe; headquarters for the European Union and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

beneficence - noun the quality of being kind or helpful or generous; doing good; feeling beneficent

benign tumor - noun a tumor that is not cancerous

benignity - noun the quality of being kind and gentle; a kind act

benjamin rush - noun physician and American Revolutionary leader; signer of the Declaration of Independence (1745-1813)

berk - noun a stupid person who is easy to take advantage of

biology - noun the science that studies living organisms; characteristic life processes and phenomena of living organisms; all the plant and animal life of a particular region

biomedicine - noun the branch of medical science that studies the ability of organisms to withstand environmental stress (as in space travel); the branch of medical science that applies biological and physiological principles to clinical practice

bionics - noun application of biological principals to the study and design of engineering systems (especially electronic systems)

bipedalism - noun the bodily attribute of being bipedal; having two feet

birth control - noun limiting the number of children born

black death - noun the epidemic form of bubonic plague experienced during the Middle Ages when it killed nearly half the people of western Europe

bladder stone - noun a calculus formed in the bladder

blain - noun an inflammatory swelling or sore

blanch - verb cook (vegetables) briefly; turn pale, as if in fear

bleb - noun (pathology) an elevation of the skin filled with serous fluid

blood - noun temperament or disposition; the fluid (red in vertebrates) that is pumped by the heart; people viewed as members of a group; the descendants of one individual; a dissolute man in fashionable society; verb smear with blood, as in a hunting initiation rite, where the face of a person is smeared with the blood of the kill

blood pressure - noun the pressure of the circulating blood against the walls of the blood vessels; results from the systole of the left ventricle of the heart; sometimes measured for a quick evaluation of a person's health

bloodletting - noun formerly used as a treatment to reduce excess blood (one of the four humors of medieval medicine); indiscriminate slaughter

body fluid - noun the liquid parts of the body

bogart - noun United States film actor (1899-1957)

boot - noun a form of foot torture in which the feet are encased in iron and slowly crushed; footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg; British term for the luggage compartment in a car; an instrument of torture that is used to heat or crush the foot and leg; protective casing for something that resembles a leg; the act of delivering a blow with the foot; the swift release of a store of affective force; verb cause to load (an operating system) and start the initial processes; kick; give a boot to

boxer - noun a breed of stocky medium-sized short-haired dog with a brindled coat and square-jawed muzzle developed in Germany; someone who fights with his fists for sport; a member of a nationalistic Chinese secret society that led an unsuccessful rebellion in 1900 against foreign interests in China; a workman employed to pack things into containers

brain - noun that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord; mental ability; the brain of certain animals used as meat; that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason; someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality; verb kill by smashing someone's skull; hit on the head

brain death - noun death when respiration and other reflexes are absent; consciousness is gone; organs can be removed for transplantation before the heartbeat stops

breast implant - noun an implant for cosmetic purposes to replace a breast that has been surgically removed

bright's disease - noun an inflammation of the kidney

brill - noun European food fish

browne - noun United States writer of humorous tales of an itinerant showman (1834-1867); English illustrator of several of Dickens' novels (1815-1882)

bruise - noun an injury that doesn't break the skin but results in some discoloration; verb damage (plant tissue) by abrasion of pressure; break up into small pieces for food preparation; injure the underlying soft tissue of bone of; hurt the feelings of

bruit - verb tell or spread rumors

bubonic plague - noun the most common form of the plague in humans; characterized by chills, prostration, delirium and the formation of buboes in the armpits and groin; does not spread from person to person

burgh - noun a borough in Scotland

butler - noun a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table; English poet (1612-1680); English novelist who described a fictitious land he called Erewhon (1835-1902)

cabot - noun Italian explorer who led the English expedition in 1497 that discovered the mainland of North America and explored the coast from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland (ca. 1450-1498); son of John Cabot who was born in Italy and who led an English expedition in search of the Northwest Passage and a Spanish expedition that explored the La Plata region of Brazil; in 1544 he published a map of the world (1476-1557)

cadaver - noun the dead body of a human being

caduceus - noun an insignia used by the medical profession; modeled after the staff of Hermes

calculus - noun the branch of mathematics that is concerned with limits and with the differentiation and integration of functions; a hard lump produced by the concretion of mineral salts; found in hollow organs or ducts of the body; an incrustation that forms on the teeth and gums

cambodia - noun a nation in southeastern Asia; was part of Indochina under French rule until 1946

cambridge - noun a city in eastern England on the River Cam; site of Cambridge University; a city in Massachusetts just north of Boston; site of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; a university in England

camelpox - noun a viral disease of camels closely related to smallpox

cancer - noun type genus of the family Cancridae; the fourth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about June 21 to July 22; a small zodiacal constellation in the northern hemisphere; between Leo and Gemini; (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Cancer; any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream

cancer cell - noun a cell that is part of a malignant tumor

canine distemper - noun a viral disease of young dogs characterized by high fever and respiratory inflammation

cannula - noun a small flexible tube inserted into a body cavity for draining off fluid or introducing medication

capitation - noun a tax levied on the basis of a fixed amount per person

carapace - noun hard outer covering or case of certain organisms such as arthropods and turtles

carl jung - noun Swiss psychologist (1875-1961)

carminative - adj. relieving gas in the alimentary tract (colic or flatulence or griping); noun medication that prevents the formation of gas in the alimentary tract or eases its passing

caspase - noun any of a group of proteases that mediate apoptosis

castor oil - noun a purgative extracted from the seed of the castor plant; used in paint and varnish as well as medically

catabiosis - noun normal aging of cells

catastrophic illness - noun severe illness requiring prolonged hospitalization or recovery; usually involves high costs for hospitals and doctors and medicines

catechu - noun East Indian spiny tree having twice-pinnate leaves and yellow flowers followed by flat pods; source of black catechu; extract of the heartwood of Acacia catechu used for dying and tanning and preserving fishnets and sails; formerly used medicinally

catherine - noun empress of Russia who greatly increased the territory of the empire (1729-1796); first wife of Henry VIII; Henry's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)

catholicon - noun hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; once sought by the alchemists

cattle - noun domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age

cause - noun a justification for something existing or happening; events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something; any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results; a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end; a comprehensive term for any proceeding in a court of law whereby an individual seeks a legal remedy; verb give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally; cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner

cause of death - noun the causal agent resulting in death

cauterization - noun the act of coagulating blood and destroying tissue with a hot iron or caustic agent or by freezing

caveman - noun someone who lives in a cave

cavernous sinus - noun either of a pair of large venous sinuses in the cranial cavity

cell death - noun (physiology) the normal degeneration and death of living cells (as in various epithelial cells)

centrifuge - noun an apparatus that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from a suspension; verb rotate at very high speed in order to separate the liquids from the solids

cephalic - adj. of or relating to the head

cephalosporin - noun one of several broad spectrum antibiotic substances obtained from fungi and related to penicillin (trade names Mefoxin); addition of side chains has produced semisynthetic antibiotics with greater antibacterial activity

cerate - noun a hard medicated paste made of lard or oil mixed with wax or resin

cerebrospinal fluid - noun clear liquid produced in the ventricles of the brain; fills and protects cavities in the brain and spinal cord

challenge - noun a demand by a sentry for a password or identification; questioning a statement and demanding an explanation; a formal objection to the selection of a particular person as a juror; a call to engage in a contest or fight; a demanding or stimulating situation; verb raise a formal objection in a court of law; ask for identification; issue a challenge to; take exception to

chaperone - noun one who accompanies and supervises a young woman or gatherings of young people; verb accompany as a chaperone

character - noun (genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genes; the inherent complex of attributes that determine a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions; an actor's portrayal of someone in a play; a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability; a written symbol that is used to represent speech; a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities); good repute; a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something; an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story); verb engrave or inscribe characters on

charity - noun an activity or gift that benefits the public at large; a kindly and lenient attitude toward people; an institution set up to provide help to the needy; a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals); pinnate-leaved European perennial having bright blue or white flowers

chemistry - noun the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions; the way two individuals relate to each other

chemotherapy - noun the use of chemical agents to treat or control disease (or mental illness)

chicken soup - noun soup made from chicken broth

chignon - noun a roll of hair worn at the nape of the neck

child - noun a young person of either sex; a human offspring (son or daughter) of any age; an immature childish person; a member of a clan or tribe

chimera - noun a grotesque product of the imagination; (Greek mythology) fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head and a goat's body and a serpent's tail; daughter of Typhon

china - noun high quality porcelain originally made only in China; a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world; dishware made of high quality porcelain; a government on the island of Taiwan established in 1949 by Chiang Kai-shek after the conquest of mainland China by the communists led by Mao Zedong

chiropractic - noun a method of treatment that manipulates body structures (especially the spine) to relieve low back pain or even headache or high blood pressure

chloral hydrate - noun a colorless crystalline drug used as a sedative; irritates the stomach and can be addictive

chondroma - noun a common benign tumor of cartilage cells

chorditis - noun inflammation of the vocal cords; inflammation of the spermatic cord

chyloderma - noun swelling of the scrotum resulting from chronic lymphatic obstruction

cincinnati - noun a city in southern Ohio on the Ohio river

circumcision - noun the act of circumcising; surgical removal of the foreskin of males; the act of circumcising performed on males eight days after birth as a Jewish and Muslim religious rite; (Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Church) feast day celebrating the circumcision of Jesus; celebrated on January 1st

claustrophobia - noun a morbid fear of being closed in a confined space

claw - noun a bird's foot; sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles; a grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other arthropods; a mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold or pull something; verb attack as if with claws; clutch as if in panic; scratch, scrape, pull, or dig with claws or nails; move as if by clawing, seizing, or digging

clerkship - noun the job of clerk

clinic - noun a healthcare facility for outpatient care; meeting for diagnosis of problems and instruction or remedial work in a particular activity; a medical establishment run by a group of medical specialists

clinical - adj. scientifically detached; unemotional; relating to a clinic or conducted in or as if in a clinic and depending on direct observation of patients

clinical trial - noun a rigorously controlled test of a new drug or a new invasive medical device on human subjects; in the United States it is conducted under the direction of the FDA before being made available for general clinical use

clinician - noun a practitioner (of medicine or psychology) who does clinical work instead of laboratory experiments

clipper - noun scissors for cutting hair or finger nails (often used in the plural); shears for cutting grass or shrubbery (often used in the plural); a fast sailing ship used in former times; (electronics) an nonlinear electronic circuit whose output is limited in amplitude; used to limit the instantaneous amplitude of a waveform (to clip off the peaks of a waveform)

clipping - noun an excerpt cut from a newspaper or magazine; the act of clipping or snipping; cutting down to the desired size or shape

cloaca - noun a waste pipe that carries away sewage or surface water

clofibrate - noun a drug (trade name Atromid-S) that reduces lipids in the blood serum; used to treat some cardiovascular diseases

clothing - noun a covering designed to be worn on a person's body

clotting time - noun the time it takes for a sample of blood to clot; used to diagnose some clotting disorders

coccidia - noun an order in the subclass Telosporidia

cochlea - noun the snail-shaped tube (in the inner ear coiled around the modiolus) where sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses by the organ of Corti

codeine - noun derivative of opium; used as an antitussive (to relieve coughing) and an analgesic (to relive pain)

coding - noun act of writing in code or cipher

coelom - noun a cavity in the mesoderm of an embryo that gives rise in humans to the pleural cavity and pericardial cavity and peritoneal cavity

coffee break - noun a snack taken during a break in the work day

collapse - noun a mishap caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in; an abrupt failure of function or health; the act of throwing yourself down; a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures); verb lose significance, effectiveness, or value; break down, literally or metaphorically; cause to burst; fold or close up; collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack; suffer a nervous breakdown; fall apart

collyrium - noun lotion consisting of a solution used as a cleanser for the eyes

colonialism - noun exploitation by a stronger country of weaker one; the use of the weaker country's resources to strengthen and enrich the stronger country

color vision - noun the normal ability to see colors

comedo - noun a black-tipped plug clogging a pore of the skin

commissure - noun a bundle of nerve fibers passing from one side to the other of the brain or spinal cord

commutation - noun the travel of a commuter; (law) the reduction in severity of a punishment imposed by law; a warrant substituting a lesser punishment for a greater one; the act of putting one thing or person in the place of another: "he sent Smith in for Jones but the substitution came too late to help"

company - noun an institution created to conduct business; a unit of firefighters including their equipment; a social gathering of guests or companions; organization of performers and associated personnel (especially theatrical); small military unit; usually two or three platoons; the state of being with someone; crew of a ship including the officers; the whole force or personnel of a ship; a band of people associated temporarily in some activity; a social or business visitor; verb be a companion to somebody

complication - noun the act or process of complicating; a development that complicates a situation; a situation or condition that is complex or confused; any disease or disorder that occurs during the course of (or because of) another disease; puzzling complexity

condom - noun contraceptive device consisting of a sheath of thin rubber or latex that is worn over the penis during intercourse

conformation - noun a symmetrical arrangement of the parts of a thing; acting according to certain accepted standards; any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)

conjoint - adj. consisting of two or more associated entities

consent - noun permission to do something; verb give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to

contagion - noun the communication of an attitude or emotional state among a number of people; an incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted; any disease easily transmitted by contact

continuum - noun a continuous nonspatial whole or extent or succession in which no part or portion is distinct of distinguishable from adjacent parts

contraindication - noun (medicine) a reason that makes it inadvisable to prescribe a particular drug or employ a particular procedure or treatment

control - noun the activity of managing or exerting control over something; (physiology) regulation or maintenance of a function or action or reflex etc; a mechanism that controls the operation of a machine; power to direct or determine; the economic policy of controlling or limiting or curbing prices or wages etc.; a spiritual agency that is assumed to assist the medium during a seance; a relation of constraint of one entity (thing or person or group) by another; discipline in personal and social activities; great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity; a standard against which other conditions can be compared in a scientific experiment; the state that exists when one person or group has power over another; verb verify by using a duplicate register for comparison; exercise authoritative control or power over; lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; verify or regulate by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard, of scientific experiments; have a firm understanding or knowledge of; be on top of; be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something; handle and cause to function; control (others or oneself) or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage

convalescence - noun gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury

convention - noun the act of convening; something regarded as a normative example; (diplomacy) an international agreement; a large formal assembly; orthodoxy as a consequence of being conventional

conversion disorder - noun a mental disorder characterized by the conversion of mental conflict into somatic forms (into paralysis or anesthesia having no apparent cause)

conversion factor - noun factor by which a quantity that is expressed in one set of units must be multiplied in order to convert it into another set of units

convulsion - noun a physical disturbance such as an earthquake or upheaval; a violent disturbance; violent uncontrollable contractions of muscles; a sudden uncontrollable attack

copenhagen - noun the capital and largest city of Denmark; located on the island of Zealand

cordial - adj. sincerely or intensely felt; showing warm and heartfelt friendliness; diffusing warmth and friendliness; noun strong highly flavored sweet liquor usually drunk after a meal

corixa - noun type genus of the Corixidae: boat bugs

corneous - adj. made of horn (or of a substance resembling horn)

corpus luteum - noun yellow endocrine tissue that forms in a ruptured Graafian follicle following the release of an ovum

cortex - noun the tissue forming the outer layer of an organ or structure in plant or animal; the layer of unmyelinated neurons (the grey matter) forming the cortex of the cerebrum

cortisone - noun a corticosteroid hormone (trade name Cortone Acetate) normally produced by the adrenal cortex; is converted to hydrocortisone

cost - noun the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor; the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold); value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something; verb require to lose, suffer, or sacrifice; be priced at

cotton wool - noun soft silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state

counterstain - noun a stain of contrasting color that is used when the principal stain does not show the structure clearly

course - adv. as might be expected; noun a mode of action; education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings; facility consisting of a circumscribed area of land or water laid out for a sport; (construction) a layer of masonry; part of a meal served at one time; a connected series of events or actions or developments; general line of orientation; a line or route along which something travels or moves; verb hunt with hounds; move swiftly through or over; move along, of liquids

cowpox - noun a viral disease of cattle causing a mild skin disease affecting the udder; formerly used to inoculate humans against smallpox

cracked - adj. informal or slang terms for mentally irregular; of paint or varnish; having the appearance of alligator hide; used of skin roughened as a result of cold or exposure

cranial cavity - noun the cavity enclosed by the cranium

craving - noun an intense desire for some particular thing

crosby - noun United States singer and film actor (1904-1977)

crown - noun the part of a hat (the vertex) that covers the crown of the head; an ornamental jewelled headdress signifying sovereignty; a wreath or garland worn on the head to signify victory; the center of a cambered road; the part of a tooth above the gum that is covered with enamel; the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy; the upper branches and leaves of a tree; an English coin worth 5 shillings; the top of the head; the award given to the champion; the top point of a mountain or hill; verb be the culminating event; put an enamel cover on; invest with regal power; enthrone; form the topmost part of

crust - noun the trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties; the outer layer of the Earth; a hard outer layer that covers something; verb form a crust or form into a crust

crutch - noun anything that serves as an expedient; a wooden or metal staff that fits under the armpit and reaches to the ground; used by disabled person while walking

cryonics - noun the freezing of a seriously ill or recently deceased person to stop tissues from decomposing; the body is preserved until new medical cures are developed that might bring the person back to life

crypt - noun a cellar or vault or underground burial chamber (especially beneath a church)

culdoscopy - noun endoscopic examination of a woman's pelvic organs by the insertion of a culdoscope through the vagina

cultural - adj. denoting or deriving from or distinctive of the ways of living built up by a group of people; relating to the raising of plants or animals; of or relating to the shared knowledge and values of a society; of or relating to the arts and manners that a group favors

culture - noun the raising of plants or animals; (biology) the growing of microorganisms in a nutrient medium (such as gelatin or agar); the tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group; the attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization; a particular society at a particular time and place; all the knowledge and values shared by a society; a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality

cupid's bow - noun a curved bow with reversed curve ends; the double curve of the upper lip when considered to resemble Cupid's bow

curandero - noun a Mexican man who practices healing techniques inherited from the Mayans

cure - noun a medicine or therapy that cures disease or relieve pain; verb prepare by drying, salting, or chemical processing in order to preserve; be or become preserved; make (substances) hard and improve their usability; provide a cure for, make healthy again

curette - noun a surgical instrument shaped like a scoop to remove tissue from a bodily cavity

cuticle - noun the dead skin at the base of a fingernail or toenail; hard outer covering or case of certain organisms such as arthropods and turtles; the outer layer of the skin covering the exterior body surface of vertebrates

cutis - noun a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

cytochrome c - noun the most abundant and stable cytochrome; involved in energy transfer

cytology - noun the branch of biology that studies the structure and function of cells

cytopenia - noun a deficiency of some cellular element of the blood

davis - noun United States film actress (1908-1989); United States tennis player who donated the Davis Cup for international team tennis competition (1879-1945); American statesman; president of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War (1808-1889); United States jazz musician; noted for his trumpet style (1926-1991); United States painter who developed an American version of cubism (1894-1964); English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)

debility - noun the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age)

debridement - noun surgical removal of foreign material and dead tissue from a wound in order to prevent infection and promote healing

decomposition - noun the analysis of a vector field; (biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action; (chemistry) separation of a substance into two or more substances that may differ from each other and from the original substance; in a decomposed state; the organic phenomenon of rotting

decubitus - noun a reclining position (as in a bed)

decussation - noun an intersection or crossing of two tracts in the form of the letter X

defibrillation - noun treatment by stopping fibrillation of heart muscles (usually by electric shock delivered by a defibrillator)

defibrillator - noun an electronic device that administers an electric shock of preset voltage to the heart through the chest wall in an attempt to restore the normal rhythm of the heart during ventricular fibrillation

deficiency - noun lack of an adequate quantity or number; the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable

degeneration - noun passing from a more complex to a simpler biological form; the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality; the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities

delirium tremens - noun acute delirium caused by alcohol poisoning

dementia praecox - noun any of several psychotic disorders characterized by distortions of reality and disturbances of thought and language and withdrawal from social contact

dental - adj. of or relating to the teeth; of or relating to dentistry; noun a consonant articulated with the tip of the tongue near the gum ridge

dental caries - noun soft decayed area in a tooth; progressive decay can lead to the death of a tooth

dentist - noun a person qualified to practice dentistry

dentition - noun the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal; the eruption through the gums of baby teeth

depigmentation - noun absence or loss of pigmentation (or less than normal pigmentation) in the skin or hair

depression - noun pushing down; sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy; angular distance below the horizon (especially of a celestial object); a concavity in a surface produced by pressing; a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity; a long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment; a period during the 1930s when there was a worldwide economic depression and mass unemployment; a sunken or depressed geological formation; a state of depression and anhedonia so severe as to require clinical intervention; an air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation

depressive disorder - noun a state of depression and anhedonia so severe as to require clinical intervention

dermabrasion - noun removal of scars or tattoos by anesthetizing the skin surface and then sanding or scraping off some of the outer skin layer

dermatology - noun the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases

dermatomycosis - noun fungal infection of the skin (especially of moist parts covered by clothing)

dermatosis - noun disorder involving lesions or eruptions of the skin (in which there is usually no inflammation)

desquamation - noun loss of bits of outer skin by peeling or shedding or coming off in scales

dexamethasone - noun a corticosteroid drug (trade names Decadron or Dexamethasone Intensol or Dexone or Hexadrol or Oradexon) used to treat allergies or inflammation

diabetes - noun any of several metabolic disorders marked by excessive urination and persistent thirst

diagnosis - noun identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon

dialysis - noun separation of substances in solution by means of their unequal diffusion through semipermeable membranes

diana - noun (Roman mythology) virgin goddess of the hunt and the moon; counterpart of Greek Artemis; English aristocrat who was the first wife of Prince Charles; her death in an automobile accident in Paris produced intense national mourning (1961-1997)

diaphragmatic hernia - noun hernia resulting from the protrusion of part of the stomach through the diaphragm

diastasis - noun separation of an epiphysis from the long bone to which it is normally attached without fracture of the bone

diathermy - noun a method of physical therapy that involves generating local heat in body tissues by high-frequency electromagnetic currents

diathesis - noun constitutional predisposition to a particular disease or abnormality

diazepam - noun a tranquilizer (trade name Valium) used to relieve anxiety and relax muscles; acts by enhancing the inhibitory actions of the neurotransmitter GABA; can also be used as an anticonvulsant drug in cases of nerve agent poisoning

dielectric heating - noun heating of an insulator by a high-frequency electric field

diethylstilbestrol - noun a potent estrogen used in medicine and in feed for livestock and poultry

dilator - noun a surgical instrument that is used to dilate or distend an opening or an organ; a drug that causes dilation; a muscle or nerve that dilates or widens a body part

diltiazem - noun a calcium blocker (trade name Cardizem) used in treating hypertension or angina or heart failure

dipsomania - noun an intense persistent desire to drink alcoholic beverages to excess

disability insurance - noun social insurance for the disabled

disease - noun an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning

dislocation - noun the act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue; an event that results in a displacement or discontinuity; a displacement of a part (especially a bone) from its normal position (as in the shoulder or the vertebral column)

disorder - noun a disturbance of the peace or of public order; condition in which there is a disturbance of normal functioning; a condition in which things are not in their expected places; verb bring disorder to; disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed

dissection - noun cutting so as to separate into pieces; detailed critical analysis or examination one part at a time (as of a literary work); a minute and critical analysis

distress - noun the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim; psychological suffering; extreme physical pain; a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need); verb cause mental pain to

divaricate - verb spread apart; branch off

diverticulum - noun a herniation through the muscular wall of a tubular organ (especially the colon)

docking - noun the act of securing an arriving vessel with ropes

doctor - noun children take the roles of physician or patient or nurse and pretend they are at the physician's office; a licensed medical practitioner; a person who holds Ph.D. degree (or the equivalent) from an academic institution; (Roman Catholic Church) a title conferred on 33 saints who distinguished themselves through the orthodoxy of their theological teaching; verb give medical treatment to; restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken; alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive

doctor of medicine - noun a doctor's degree in medicine

doctor of optometry - noun a doctor's degree in optometry

dorothea dix - noun United States social reformer who pioneered in the reform of prisons and in the treatment of the mentally ill; superintended women army nurses during the American Civil War (1802-1887)

dosimetry - noun measuring the dose of radiation emitted by a radioactive source

dover's powder - noun a medicinal powder made essentially of ipecac and opium; formerly used to relieve pain and induce perspiration

dragon's blood - noun a dark red resinous substance derived from various trees and used in photoengraving

drug - noun a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic; verb administer a drug to; use recreational drugs

dryness - noun the condition of not containing or being covered by a liquid (especially water); objectivity and detachment; moderation in or abstinence from alcohol or other drugs

dublin - noun capital and largest city and major port of the Irish Free State

duke - noun a British peer of the highest rank; a nobleman (in various countries) of high rank

dyscrasia - noun an abnormal or physiologically unbalanced state of the body

dystrophy - noun any degenerative disorder resulting from inadequate or faulty nutrition; any of several hereditary diseases of the muscular system characterized by weakness and wasting of skeletal muscles

echoencephalography - noun a noninvasive diagnostic procedure that uses ultrasound to study the anatomy of the brain

effacement - noun withdrawing into the background; making yourself inconspicuous; shortening of the uterine cervix and thinning of its walls as it is dilated during labor

efficacy - noun capacity or power to produce a desired effect

effleurage - noun a rhythmic stroking

elastin - noun a fibrous scleroprotein found in elastic tissues such as the walls of arteries

elbow - noun the joint of a mammal or bird that corresponds to the human elbow; the part of a sleeve that covers the elbow joint; a sharp bend in a road or river; a length of pipe with a sharp bend in it; hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped; verb shove one's elbow into another person's ribs; push one's way with the elbows

elective - adj. subject to popular election; not compulsory; noun a course that the student can select from among alternatives

electrocardiography - noun diagnostic procedure consisting of recording the activity of the heart electronically with a cardiograph (and producing a cardiogram)

electronic device - noun a device that accomplishes its purpose electronically

electrosurgery - noun surgery performed with electrical devices (as in electrocautery)

electrotherapy - noun the therapeutic application of electricity to the body (as in the treatment of various forms of paralysis)

elixir of life - noun a hypothetical substance believed to maintain life indefinitely; once sought by alchemists

ellison - noun United States novelist who wrote about a young Black man and his struggles in American society (1914-1994)

embryology - noun the branch of biology that studies the formation and early development of living organisms

emergency medicine - noun the branch of medicine concerned with the prompt diagnosis and treatment of injuries or trauma or sudden illness

emmenagogue - noun any agent that promotes menstrual discharge

empyema - noun a collection of pus in a body cavity (especially in the lung cavity)

enalapril - noun an ACE inhibitor (trade name Vasotec) that blocks the formation of angiotensin in the kidney and so results in vasodilation; administered after heart attacks

endometritis - noun inflammation of the lining of the uterus (of the endometrium)

endoscope - noun a long slender medical instrument for examining the interior of a bodily organ or performing minor surgery

endoskeleton - noun the internal skeleton; bony and cartilaginous structure (especially of vertebrates)

enema - noun injection of a liquid through the anus to stimulate evacuation; sometimes used for diagnostic purposes

engineering - noun a room (as on a ship) in which the engine is located; the discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems; the practical application of science to commerce or industry

enteropathy - noun a disease of the intestinal tract

enterotoxemia - noun a disease of cattle and sheep that is attributed to toxins absorbed from the intestines

enucleation - noun surgical removal of something without cutting into it

environment - noun the area in which something exists or lives; the totality of surrounding conditions

enzootic - adj. of a disease that is constantly present in an animal community but only occurs in a small number of cases

eosinopenia - noun a decrease in the number of eosinophils in the blood

eosinophilic - adj. of or relating to eosinophil

epicranium - noun the muscle and aponeurosis and skin covering the cranium

epidemiology - noun the branch of medical science dealing with the transmission and control of disease

epidermis - noun the outer layer of the skin covering the exterior body surface of vertebrates

epigastrium - noun the region lying on or over the stomach (just below the sternum)

epiphenomenon - noun a secondary phenomenon that is a by-product of another phenomenon

episiotomy - noun surgical incision of the perineum to enlarge the vagina and so facilitate delivery during childbirth

epithelial - adj. of or belonging to the epithelium

epizootic - adj. (of animals) epidemic among animals of a single kind within a particular region

erectile tissue - noun vascular tissue capable of filling with blood and becoming rigid

erythema - noun abnormal redness of the skin resulting from dilation of blood vessels (as in sunburn or inflammation)

erythema nodosum - noun skin condition characterized by tender red nodules on the shins and legs

erythroderma - noun any skin disorder involving abnormal redness

eschar - noun a dry scab formed on the skin following a burn or cauterization of the skin

essence - noun any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted; a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor; the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work

ethics - noun the philosophical study of moral values and rules; motivation based on ideas of right and wrong

ethics committee - noun a committee appointed to consider ethical issues

etiology - noun the philosophical study of causation; the cause of a disease

evanescent - adj. tending to vanish like vapor

evangelist - noun a preacher of the Christian gospel; (when capitalized) any of the spiritual leaders who are assumed to be authors of the Gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

evocative - adj. serving to bring to mind

evoked potential - noun the electrical response of the central nervous system produced by an external stimulus

exacerbation - noun violent and bitter exasperation; action that makes a problem or a disease (or its symptoms) worse

exanthem - noun eruption on the skin occurring as a symptom of a disease

excavation - noun the act of digging; a hole in the ground made by excavating; the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth; the site of an archeological exploration

exoskeleton - noun the exterior protective or supporting structure or shell of many animals (especially invertebrates) including bony or horny parts such as nails or scales or hoofs

extravasation - noun the process of exuding or passing out of a vessel into surrounding tissues; said of blood or lymph or urine; an extravasated liquid (blood or lymph or urine); the product of extravasation; (of volcanos) pouring out fumes of lava (or a deposit so formed)

eye disease - noun any disease of the eye

eyepatch - noun a protective cloth covering for an injured eye

eyespot - noun an eyelike marking (as on the wings of some butterflies); usually a spot of color inside a ring of another color

face - noun a vertical surface of a building or cliff; the side upon which the use of a thing depends (usually the most prominent surface of an object); the striking or working surface of an implement; the general outward appearance of something; status in the eyes of others; the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear; the part of an animal corresponding to the human face; a part of a person that is used to refer to a person; the feelings expressed on a person's face; impudent aggressiveness; a specific size and style of type within a type family; a contorted facial expression; a surface forming part of the outside of an object; verb cover the front or surface of; line the edge (of a garment) with a different material; turn so as to face; turn the face in a certain direction; turn so as to expose the face; be opposite; deal with (something unpleasant) head on; present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize; oppose, as in hostility or a competition; be oriented in a certain direction, often with respect to another reference point; be opposite to

faceless - adj. without a face or identity

faith healing - noun care provided through prayer and faith in God

family history - noun part of a patient's medical history in which questions are asked in an attempt to find out whether the patient has hereditary tendencies toward particular diseases

fang - noun hollow or grooved tooth of a venomous snake; used to inject its poison; canine tooth of a carnivorous animal; used to seize and tear its prey; a Bantu language spoken in Cameroon

fasciola hepatica - noun flatworm parasitic in liver and bile ducts of domestic animals and humans

fasciolosis - noun infestation with the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica; liver damage sometimes occurs; related to liver rot

fast - adj. acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly; at a rapid tempo; (used of timepieces) indicating a time ahead of or later than the correct time; securely fixed in place; resistant to destruction or fading; (of surfaces) conducive to rapid speeds; unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; hurried and brief; unrestrained by convention or morality; firmly fastened or secured against opening; adv. quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form); firmly or tightly; noun abstaining from food; verb abstain from eating; abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons

fauces - noun the passage between the back of the mouth and the pharynx

fee splitting - noun payment (usually by doctors or lawyers) of part of the fee in return for the referral

fenestra - noun a small opening covered with membrane (especially one in the bone between the middle and inner ear)

fentanyl - noun trade names of a narcotic analgesic that can be inhaled and that acts on the central nervous system and may become addictive; used as a veterinary anesthetic and with other drugs before, during, and after surgery; also used as a nonlethal gas to incapacitate people in hostage situations; also abused as a recreational drug

fetor - noun a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant

fetoscopy - noun prenatal diagnosis that allows direct observation of a fetus in the uterus and the withdrawal of fetal blood

fiberscope - noun a flexible medical instrument involving fiber optics that is used to examine internal organs

fibrosis - noun development of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ

filariasis - noun a disease caused by nematodes in the blood or tissues of the body causing blockage of lymphatic vessels

film - noun a thin coating or layer; photographic material consisting of a base of celluloid covered with a photographic emulsion; used to make negatives or transparencies; a thin sheet of (usually plastic and usually transparent) material used to wrap or cover things; a medium that disseminates moving pictures; a form of entertainment that enacts a story by a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement; verb make a film or photograph of something; record in film

final exam - noun an examination administered at the end of an academic term

fistula - noun an abnormal passage leading from a suppurating cavity to the body surface; a chronic inflammation of the withers of a horse

flank - noun the side between ribs and hipbone; a cut from the fleshy part of an animal's side between the ribs and the leg; the side of military or naval formation; a subfigure consisting of a side of something; verb be located at the sides of something or somebody

flesh - noun the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat; alternative names for the body of a human being; a soft moist part of a fruit; verb remove adhering flesh from (hides) when preparing leather manufacture

flim-flam - verb deceive somebody

flipper - noun the flat broad limb of aquatic animals specialized for swimming; a shoe for swimming; the paddle-like front is an aid in swimming (especially underwater)

flow - noun the act of flowing or streaming; continuous progression; the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases); any uninterrupted stream or discharge; the amount of fluid that flows in a given time; dominant course (suggestive of running water) of successive events or ideas; the monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause; something that resembles a flowing stream in moving continuously; verb cover or swamp with water; move or progress freely as if in a stream; cause to flow; be abundantly present; undergo menstruation; fall or flow in a certain way; move along, of liquids

folding - adj. capable of being folded up and stored; noun the act of folding; a geological process that causes a bend in a stratum of rock; the process whereby a protein molecule assumes its intricate three-dimensional shape

fomite - noun any inanimate object (as a towel or money or clothing or dishes or books or toys etc.) that can transmit infectious agents from one person to another

food - noun any substance that can be metabolized by an organism to give energy and build tissue; anything that provides mental stimulus for thinking; any solid substance (as opposed to liquid) that is used as a source of nourishment

foramen - noun a natural opening or perforation through a bone or a membranous structure

french - adj. of or pertaining to France or the people of France; noun the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France; the people of France; United States sculptor who created the seated marble figure of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. (1850-1931); verb snap (bean) lengthwise in preparation for cooking

friedman - noun United States economist noted as a proponent of monetarism and for his opposition to government intervention in the economy (born 1912)

fryer - noun flesh of a medium-sized young chicken suitable for frying

fulminant - adj. sudden and severe

functional disorder - noun disorder showing symptoms for which no physiological or anatomical cause can be identified

funiculus - noun any of several body structure resembling a cord; the stalk of a plant ovule or seed

furosemide - noun commonly used diuretic (trade name Lasix) used to treat hypertension and edema

gallbladder - noun a muscular sac attached to the liver that secretes bile and stores it until needed for digestion

gangrene - noun necrotic tissue; a mortified or gangrenous part or mass; the localized death of living cells (as from infection or the interruption of blood supply); verb undergo necrosis

gastroenterology - noun the branch of medicine that studies the gastrointestinal tract and its diseases

gastrostomy - noun surgical creation of an opening through the abdominal wall into the stomach (as for gastrogavage)

genetic engineering - noun the technology of preparing recombinant DNA in vitro by cutting up DNA molecules and splicing together fragments from more than one organism

genetics - noun the branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms

gentamicin - noun an antibiotic (trade name Garamycin) that is derived from an actinomycete; used in treating infections of the urinary tract

georgia - noun a republic in Asia Minor on the Black Sea separated from Russia by the Caucasus mountains; formerly an Asian soviet but became independent in 1991; a state in southeastern United States; one of the Confederate states during the American Civil War; one of the British colonies that formed the United States

gerontology - noun the branch of medical science that deals with diseases and problems specific to old people

giardiasis - noun infection of the intestines with protozoa found in contaminated food and water; characterized by diarrhea and nausea and flatulence and abdominal discomfort

gibson - noun United States tennis player who was the first Black woman player to win all the major world singles titles (1927-2003); Australian actor (born in the United States in 1956); United States illustrator remembered for his creation of the `Gibson girl' (1867-1944)

gill - noun respiratory organ of aquatic animals that breathe oxygen dissolved in water; any of the radiating leaflike spore-producing structures on the underside of the cap of a mushroom or similar fungus; a United States liquid unit equal to 4 fluid ounces; a British imperial capacity unit (liquid or dry) equal to 5 fluid ounces or 142.066 cubic centimeters

gizzard - noun thick-walled muscular pouch below the crop in many birds and reptiles for grinding food

glasgow - noun largest city in Scotland; a port on the Clyde in west central Scotland; one of the great shipbuilding centers of the world

glossoptosis - noun abnormal downward or back placement of the tongue

glucocorticoid - noun a steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal cortex of animals; affects functioning of gonads and has anti-inflammatory activity

glutethimide - noun sedative (trade name Doriden) used to treat some sleep disorders

goggles - noun tight-fitting spectacles worn to protect the eyes

gold standard - noun a paragon of excellence; a monetary standard under which the basic unit of currency is defined by a stated quantity of gold

good - adj. thorough; generally admired; resulting favorably; not left to spoil; not forged; having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified; morally admirable; in excellent physical condition; appealing to the mind; agreeable or pleasing; most suitable or right for a particular purpose; capable of pleasing; of moral excellence; promoting or enhancing well-being; having the normally expected amount; with or in a close or intimate relationship; exerting force or influence; tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health; deserving of esteem and respect; having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude; financially sound; adv. (often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (`good' is a nonstandard dialectal variant for `well'); in a complete and thorough manner (`good' is sometimes used informally for `thoroughly'); noun moral excellence or admirableness; that which is pleasing or valuable or useful; benefit; articles of commerce

gracility - noun elegance and beauty of movement or expression

grafting - noun the act of grafting something onto something else

grapefruit - noun large yellow fruit with somewhat acid juicy pulp; usual serving consists of a half; citrus tree bearing large round edible fruit having a thick yellow rind and juicy somewhat acid pulp

greenstick fracture - noun a partial fracture of a bone (usually in children); the bone is bent but broken on only one side

gumma - noun a small rubbery granuloma that is characteristic of an advanced stage of syphilis

hair - noun a filamentous projection or process on an organism; any of the cylindrical filaments characteristically growing from the epidermis of a mammal; a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss; filamentous hairlike growth on a plant; cloth woven from horsehair or camelhair; used for upholstery or stiffening in garments; a very small distance or space

haloperidol - noun tranquilizer (trade name Haldol) used to treat some psychotic disorders and Tourette's syndrome

hamilton - noun the capital of Bermuda; a port city in southeastern Ontario at the western end of Lake Ontario; United States statesman and leader of the Federalists; as the first Secretary of the Treasury he establish a federal bank; was mortally wounded in a duel with Aaron Burr (1755-1804); United States toxicologist known for her work on industrial poisons (1869-1970); English beauty who was the mistress of Admiral Nelson (1765-1815); Irish mathematician (1806-1865)

hangnail - noun a loose narrow strip of skin near the base of a fingernail; tearing it produces a painful sore that is easily infected

hardy - adj. able to survive under unfavorable conditions; having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships; resolute and without fear; noun English novelist and poet (1840-1928); United States slapstick comedian who played the pompous and overbearing member of the Laurel and Hardy duo who made many films (1892-1957)

harley street - noun a street in central London where the consulting rooms of many physicians and surgeons are located

hawaii - noun a state in the United States in the central Pacific on the Hawaiian Islands; the largest and southernmost of the Hawaii islands; has several volcanic peaks

head - noun a single domestic animal; a projection out from one end; (nautical) a toilet on board a boat or ship; the striking part of a tool; (usually plural) the obverse side of a coin that usually bears the representation of a person's head; that part of a skeletal muscle that is away from the bone that it moves; the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains; the rounded end of a bone that bits into a rounded cavity in another bone to form a joint; (grammar) the word in a grammatical constituent that plays the same grammatical role as the whole constituent; the front of a military formation or procession; the top of something; the foam or froth that accumulates at the top when you pour an effervescent liquid into a container; a rounded compact mass; a user of (usually soft) drugs; a person who is in charge; an individual person; the pressure exerted by a fluid; the length or height based on the size of a human or animal head; the tip of an abscess (where the pus accumulates); oral stimulation of the genitals; a membrane that is stretched taut over a drum; (computer science) a tiny electromagnetic coil and metal pole used to write and read magnetic patterns on a disk; that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason; a line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about; the subject matter at issue; a V-shaped mark at one end of an arrow pointer; forward movement; a difficult juncture; the source of water from which a stream arises; the part in the front or nearest the viewer; a natural elevation (especially a rocky one that juts out into the sea); the educator who has executive authority for a school; a dense clusters of flowers or foliage; verb remove the head of; to go or travel towards; be in charge of; form a head or come or grow to a head; be in the front of or on top of; be the first or leading member of (a group) and excel; take its rise; direct the course; determine the direction of travelling; travel in front of; go in advance of others

headache - noun pain in the head caused by dilation of cerebral arteries or muscle contractions or a reaction to drugs; something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness

healing - adj. tending to cure or restore to health; noun the natural process by which the body repairs itself

health - noun the general condition of body and mind; a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

health care - noun social insurance for the ill and injured; the preservation of mental and physical health by preventing or treating illness through services offered by the health profession

health insurance - noun insurance against loss due to ill health

healthcare - noun the preservation of mental and physical health by preventing or treating illness through services offered by the health profession

heart - noun a playing card in the major suit that has one or more red hearts on it; an inclination or tendency of a certain kind; the courage to carry on; the hollow muscular organ located behind the sternum and between the lungs; its rhythmic contractions move the blood through the body; the locus of feelings and intuitions; a firm rather dry variety meat (usually beef or veal); a plane figure with rounded sides curving inward at the top and intersecting at the bottom; conventionally used on playing cards and valentines; the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; a positive feeling of liking; an area that is approximately central within some larger region

heart rate - noun the rate at which the heart beats; usually measured to obtain a quick evaluation of a person's health

heating pad - noun heater consisting of electrical heating elements contained in a flexible pad

helix - noun type genus of the family Helicidae; a curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle; a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops

helper - noun a person who helps people or institutions (especially with financial help); a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

hematocele - noun swelling caused by blood collecting in a body cavity (especially a swelling of the membrane covering the testis)

hematocrit - noun a measuring instrument to determine (usually by centrifugation) the relative amounts of corpuscles and plasma in the blood; the ratio of the volume occupied by packed red blood cells to the volume of the whole blood as measured by a hematocrit

hematologist - noun a doctor who specializes in diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs

hemoglobinuria - noun presence of hemoglobin in the urine

hemostasis - noun surgical procedure of stopping the flow of blood (as with a hemostat)

heparin - noun a polysaccharide produced in basophils (especially in the lung and liver) and that inhibits the activity of thrombin in coagulation of the blood; it (trade names Lipo-Hepin and Liquaemin) is used as an anticoagulant in the treatment of thrombosis and in heart surgery

hepatotoxin - noun any toxin that affects the liver

herbal medicine - noun the use of medicinal herbs to prevent or treat disease or promote health; a medicine made from plants and used to prevent or treat disease or promote health

herbalist - noun a therapist who heals by the use of herbs

heroin - noun a narcotic that is considered a hard drug; a highly addictive morphine derivative; intravenous injection provides the fastest and most intense rush

herpes - noun any of the animal viruses that cause painful blisters on the skin; viral diseases causing eruptions of the skin or mucous membrane

hippocrates - noun medical practitioner who is regarded as the father of medicine; author of the Hippocratic oath (circa 460-377 BC)

hippocratic oath - noun an oath taken by physicians to observe medical ethics deriving from Hippocrates

hirudo medicinalis - noun large European freshwater leech formerly used for bloodletting

histology - noun the branch of biology that studies the microscopic structure of animal or plant tissues

holstein - noun a breed of dairy cattle from northern Holland

home - adj. inside the country; used of your own ground; relating to or being where one lives or where one's roots are; adv. at or to or in the direction of one's home or family; to the fullest extent; to the heart; on or to the point aimed at; noun an institution where people are cared for; the country or state or city where you live; where you live at a particular time; place where something began and flourished; an environment offering affection and security; housing that someone is living in; (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score; a social unit living together; the place where you are stationed and from which missions start and end; verb return home accurately from a long distance; provide with, or send to, a home

horn - noun one of the bony outgrowths on the heads of certain ungulates; any hard protuberance from the head of an organism that is similar to or suggestive of a horn; an alarm device that makes a loud warning sound; a high pommel of a Western saddle (usually metal covered with leather); a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it; a noise made by the driver of an automobile to give warning; the material (mostly keratin) that covers the horns of ungulates and forms hooves and claws and nails; a device on an automobile for making a warning noise; a brass musical instrument with a brilliant tone; has a narrow tube and a flared bell and is played by means of valves; a brass musical instrument consisting of a conical tube that is coiled into a spiral and played by means of valves; verb stab or pierce with a horn or tusk

hospital - noun a health facility where patients receive treatment; a medical institution where sick or injured people are given medical or surgical care

hospital bed - noun a single bed with a frame in three sections so the head or middle or foot can be raised as required

hospital train - noun a military train built to transport wounded troops to a hospital

house - noun play in which children take the roles of father or mother or children and pretend to interact like adults; a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families; a building in which something is sheltered or located; aristocratic family line; an official assembly having legislative powers; the audience gathered together in a theatre or cinema; the members of a religious community living together; the management of a gambling house or casino; a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented; the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments; a social unit living together; (astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided; verb provide housing for; contain or cover

hughes - noun United States jurist who served as chief justice of the United States Supreme Court (1862-1948); United States industrialist who was an aviator and a film producer; during the last years of his life he was a total recluse (1905-1976); United States writer (1902-1967); English poet (born in 1930)

hyaline - adj. resembling glass in transparency or translucency; noun a glassy translucent material that occurs in hyaline cartilage or in certain skin conditions

hyaluronic acid - noun a viscous mucopolysaccharide found in the connective tissue space and the synovial fluid of movable joints and the humors of the eye; a cementing and protective substance

hydrotherapy - noun the internal and external use of water in the treatment of disease

hydrothorax - noun accumulation of fluid in the pleural cavity (the space between the lungs and the walls of the chest) often resulting from disease of the heart or kidneys

hypercalcaemia - noun the presence of abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood; usually the result of excessive bone resorption in hyperparathyroidism or Paget's disease

hypercalciuria - noun the presence of abnormally high levels of calcium in the urine; usually the result of excessive bone resorption in hyperparathyroidism or osteoporosis

hyperpigmentation - noun unusual darkening of the skin

hypnosis - noun a state that resembles sleep but that is induced by suggestion

hypnotherapy - noun the use of hypnosis in psychotherapy

hypocalcaemia - noun abnormally low level of calcium in the blood; associated with hypoparathyroidism or kidney malfunction or vitamin D deficiency

hypochondriasis - noun chronic and abnormal anxiety about imaginary symptoms and ailments

hypoglycemia - noun abnormally low blood sugar usually resulting from excessive insulin or a poor diet

hypogonadism - noun incompetence of the gonads (especially in the male with low testosterone); results in deficient development of secondary sex characteristics and (in prepubertal males) a body with long legs and a short trunk

hypolipoproteinemia - noun any of various disorders of lipoprotein and cholesterol metabolism that result in low levels of lipoprotein and cholesterol in the circulating blood

hypophysectomy - noun surgical removal of the pituitary gland

hypopigmentation - noun unusual lack of skin color

hypoplasia - noun underdevelopment of an organ because of a decrease in the number of cells

hypoproteinemia - noun abnormally low level of protein in the blood; can indicate inadequate diet or intestinal or renal disorders

hypospadias - noun an abnormal condition in males in which the urethra opens on the under surface of the penis

hypothalamic - adj. of or relating to the hypothalamus

hysteria - noun excessive or uncontrollable fear; neurotic disorder characterized by violent emotional outbreaks and disturbances of sensory and motor functions; state of violent mental agitation

hysterotomy - noun surgical incision into the uterus (as in cesarean section)

ice pack - noun a waterproof bag filled with ice: applied to the body (especially the head) to cool or reduce swelling; a large expanse of floating ice

ichthyosis - noun any of several congenital diseases in which the skin is fishlike (dry and scaly)

idiopathic disease - noun any disease arising from internal dysfunctions of unknown cause

idiosyncrasy - noun a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual

idiot - noun a person of subnormal intelligence

ileitis - noun inflammation of the ileum

illness - noun impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism

imaging - noun (medicine) obtaining pictures of the interior of the body; the ability to form mental images of things or events

imbecile - adj. having a mental age of three to seven years; noun a person of subnormal intelligence

immortality - noun the quality or state of being immortal; perpetual life after death

immunity - noun the quality of being unaffected by something; (medicine) the condition in which an organism can resist disease; an act exempting someone; the state of not being susceptible

immunodeficiency - noun immunological disorder in which some part of the body's immune system is inadequate and resistance to infectious diseases is reduced

immunology - noun the branch of medical science that studies the body's immune system

immunopathology - noun the branch of immunology that deals with pathologies of the immune system

immunosuppression - noun lowering the body's normal immune response to invasion by foreign substances; can be deliberate (as in lowering the immune response to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ) or incidental (as a side effect of radiotherapy or chemotherapy for cancer)

immunotherapy - noun therapy designed to produce immunity to a disease or to enhance resistance by the immune system

impedance - noun a material's opposition to the flow of electric current; measured in ohms

implant - noun a prosthesis placed permanently in tissue; verb become attached to and embedded in the uterus; fix or set securely or deeply; put firmly in the mind

in practice - adv. in practical applications

inclusion - noun the act of including; the relation of comprising something; the state of being included; any small intracellular body found within another (characteristic of certain diseases)

incorporated - adj. introduced into as a part of the whole; organized and maintained as a legal corporation; formed or united into a whole

incubator - noun apparatus consisting of a box designed to maintain a constant temperature by the use of a thermostat; used for chicks or premature infants

indeterminacy - noun the quality of being vague and poorly defined

indication - noun something (as a course of action) that is indicated as expedient or necessary; something that serves to indicate or suggest; (medicine) a reason to prescribe a drug or perform a procedure; the act of indicating or pointing out by name; a datum about some physical state that is presented to a user by a meter or similar instrument

indium - noun a rare soft silvery metallic element; occurs in small quantities in sphalerite

industry - noun the organized action of making of goods and services for sale; the people or companies engaged in a particular kind of commercial enterprise; persevering determination to perform a task

infiltration - noun a process in which individuals (or small groups) penetrate an area (especially the military penetration of enemy positions without detection); the slow passage of a liquid through a filtering medium

informant - noun a person who supplies information; someone who sees an event and reports what happened

informed consent - noun consent by a patient to undergo a medical or surgical treatment or to participate in an experiment after the patient understands the risks involved

inquiry - noun a systematic investigation of a matter of public interest; a search for knowledge; an instance of questioning

insufflation - noun an act of blowing or breathing on or into something; (medicine) blowing air or medicated powder into the lungs (or into some other body cavity)

insult - noun a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect; a rude expression intended to offend or hurt; verb treat, mention, or speak to rudely

integument - noun an outer protective covering such as the skin of an animal or a cuticle or seed coat or rind or shell

internship - noun the position of a medical intern

intersex - noun one having both male and female sexual characteristics and organs; at birth an unambiguous assignment of male or female cannot be made

intertrigo - noun chafing between two skin surfaces that are in contact (as in the armpit or under the breasts or between the thighs)

intravenous - adj. within or by means of a vein

introitus - noun entrance or opening to a hollow organ or tube (especially the vaginal opening)

intubation - noun the insertion of a cannula or tube into a hollow body organ

involution - noun the action of enfolding something; a long and intricate and complicated grammatical construction; reduction in size of an organ or part (as in the return of the uterus to normal size after childbirth); the process of raising a quantity to some assigned power; the act of sharing in the activities of a group; marked by elaborately complex detail

iodine - noun a nonmetallic element belonging to the halogens; used especially in medicine and photography and in dyes; occurs naturally only in combination in small quantities (as in sea water or rocks); a tincture consisting of a solution of iodine in ethyl alcohol; applied topically to wounds as an antiseptic

iontophoresis - noun therapy that uses a local electric current to introduce the ions of a medicine into the tissues

islamabad - noun the capital of Pakistan in the north on a plateau; the site was chosen in 1959

isomer - noun a compound that exists in forms having different arrangements of atoms but the same molecular weight

isoniazid - noun antibacterial drug (trade name Nydrazid) used to treat tuberculosis

jactitation - noun (pathology) extremely restless tossing and twitching usually by a person with a severe illness; (law) a false boast that can harm others; especially a false claim to be married to someone (formerly actionable at law); speaking of yourself in superlatives

james - noun a river that rises in North Dakota and flows southward across South Dakota to the Missouri; a river in Virginia that flows east into Chesapeake Bay at Hampton Roads; (New Testament) disciple of Jesus; brother of John; author of the Epistle of James in the New Testament; writer who was born in the United States but lived in England (1843-1916); United States pragmatic philosopher and psychologist (1842-1910); United States outlaw who fought as a Confederate soldier and later led a band of outlaws that robbed trains and banks in the West until he was murdered by a member of his own gang (1847-1882); the first Stuart to be king of England and Ireland from 1603 to 1625 and king of Scotland from 1567 to 1625; he was the son of Mary Queen of Scots and he succeeded Elizabeth I; he alienated the British Parliament by claiming the divine right of kings (1566-1625); the last Stuart to be king of England and Ireland and Scotland; overthrown in 1688 (1633-1701); a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513); a New Testament book attributed to Saint James the Apostle

japan - noun lacquer with a durable glossy black finish, originally from the orient; lacquerware decorated and varnished in the Japanese manner with a glossy durable black lacquer; a string of more than 3,000 islands east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean; a constitutional monarchy occupying the Japanese Archipelago; a world leader in electronics and automobile manufacture and ship building; verb coat with a lacquer, as done in Japan

jean - noun (usually plural) close-fitting pants of heavy denim for manual work or casual wear; a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric

jean martin charcot - noun French neurologist who tried to use hypnotism to cure hysteria (1825-1893)

jejunostomy - noun surgical creation of an opening between the jejunum and the anterior abdominal wall; will allow artificial feeding

johnson - noun 17th President of the United States; was elected vice president and succeeded Lincoln when Lincoln was assassinated; was impeached but acquitted by one vote (1808-1875); 36th President of the United States; was elected vice president and succeeded Kennedy when Kennedy was assassinated (1908-1973); English writer and lexicographer (1709-1784)

jonas salk - noun United States virologist who developed the Salk vaccine that is injected against poliomyelitis (born 1914)

journal - noun the part of the axle contained by a bearing; a record book as a physical object; a periodical dedicated to a particular subject; a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations; a ledger in which transactions have been recorded as they occurred

journalist - noun a writer for newspapers and magazines; someone who keeps a diary or journal

justice - noun the administration of law; the act of determining rights and assigning rewards or punishments; the quality of being just or fair; the United States federal department responsible for enforcing federal laws (including the enforcement of all civil rights legislation); created in 1870; a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court of justice

justice department - noun the United States federal department responsible for enforcing federal laws (including the enforcement of all civil rights legislation); created in 1870

kaliuresis - noun the presence of excess potassium in the urine

karen horney - noun United States psychiatrist (1885-1952)

karl jaspers - noun German psychiatrist (1883-1969)

karl menninger - noun United States psychiatrist and son of Charles Menninger (1893-1990)

karyolysis - noun disintegration and dissolution of a cell nucleus when a cell dies

keeper - noun someone in charge of other people; one having charge of buildings or grounds or animals

kennedy - noun a large airport on Long Island east of New York City; 35th President of the United States; established the Peace Corps; assassinated in Dallas (1917-1963)

kentucky - noun a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses

keratoscope - noun medical instrument to examine the cornea in order to detect irregularities in its anterior surface

keratosis - noun a skin condition marked by an overgrowth of layers of horny skin

ketamine - noun a general anesthetic and tranquilizer (not a barbiturate) that is administered intravenously or intramuscularly; used mainly by veterinarians or for minor surgery with geriatric or pediatric patients; taken in large doses it causes hallucinations similar to those associated with the use of PCP

klinefelter syndrome - noun syndrome in males that is characterized by small testes and long legs and enlarged breasts and reduced sperm production and mental retardation; a genetic defect in which an extra X chromosome (XXY) is present in the male

kraurosis vulvae - noun kraurosis of the vulva; often a precancerous lesion

l-dopa - noun the levorotatory form of dopa (trade names Bendopa and Brocadopa and Larodopa); as a drug it is used to treat Parkinson's disease

lamella - noun thin plate; a thin membrane that is one of the calcified layers that form bones; any of the radiating leaflike spore-producing structures on the underside of the cap of a mushroom or similar fungus

land - adj. relating to or characteristic of or occurring on land; noun the solid part of the earth's surface; material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use); United States inventor who incorporated Polaroid film into lenses and invented the one-step photographic process (1909-1991); the land on which real estate is located; agriculture considered as an occupation or way of life; the people who live in a nation or country; a politically organized body of people under a single government; the territory occupied by a nation; territory over which rule or control is exercised; extensive landed property (especially in the country) retained by the owner for his own use; a domain in which something is dominant; verb reach or come to rest; cause to come to the ground; arrive on shore; bring ashore; deliver (a blow); bring into a different state; shoot at and force to come down

laparoscopy - noun laparotomy performed with a laparoscope that makes a small incision to examine the abdominal cavity (especially the ovaries and Fallopian tubes)

large intestine - noun beginning with the cecum and ending with the rectum; includes the cecum and the colon and the rectum; extracts moisture from food residues which are later excreted as feces

laudanum - noun narcotic consisting of an alcohol solution of opium or any preparation in which opium is the main ingredient

lazaretto - noun hospital for persons with infectious diseases (especially leprosy); a small locker at the stern of a boat or between decks of a ship

leflunomide - noun an anti-TNF compound (trade name Arava) that is given orally; can slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis by slowing the proliferation of white blood cells which reduces inflammation in the synovium

lethargy - noun a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness); inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy; weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy

letterer - noun a painter of letters

lewis - noun English critic and novelist; author of theological works and of books for children (1898-1963); United States novelist who satirized middle-class America in his novel Main Street (1885-1951); United States labor leader who was president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1920 to 1960 and president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations from 1935 to 1940 (1880-1969); United States explorer and soldier who lead led an expedition from St. Louis to the mouth of the Columbia River (1774-1809); United States athlete who won gold medals at the Olympics for his skill in sprinting and jumping (born in 1961); United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)

lidocaine - noun a local anesthetic (trade names Lidocaine and Xylocaine) used topically on the skin and mucous membranes

ligature - noun thread used by surgeons to bind a vessel (as to constrict the flow of blood); a metal band used to attach a reed to the mouthpiece of a clarinet or saxophone; character consisting of two or more letters combined into one; (music) a group of notes connected by a slur; the act of tying or binding things together; something used to tie or bind

lightwood - noun tall Australian acacia yielding highly valued black timber

limb - noun the graduated arc that is attached to an instrument for measuring angles; either of the two halves of a bow from handle to tip; one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper; (astronomy) the circumferential edge of the apparent disc of the sun or the moon or a planet; any of the main branches arising from the trunk or a bough of a tree; any projection that is thought to resemble a human arm

limen - noun the smallest detectable sensation

liquid nitrogen - noun nitrogen in a liquid state

lithia water - noun mineral water containing lithium salts

livedo - noun skin disorder characterized by patchy bluish discolorations on the skin

lobe - noun a rounded projection that is part of a larger structure; (anatomy) a somewhat rounded subdivision of a bodily organ or part; the enhanced response of an antenna in a given direction as indicated by a loop in its radiation pattern; (botany) a part into which a leaf is divided

lobotomy - noun surgical interruption of nerve tracts to and from the frontal lobe of the brain; often results in marked cognitive and personality changes

looker - noun a very attractive or seductive looking woman; a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)

lorazepam - noun tranquilizer (trade name Ativan) used to treat anxiety and tension and insomnia

lowry - noun English novelist (1909-1957); English painter (1887-1976)

lumbar puncture - noun removal by centesis of fluid from the subarachnoid space of the lumbar region of the spinal cord for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes

lumbosacral plexus - noun a nerve plexus formed by the ventral divisions of the coccygeal and sacral and lumbar nerves; supplies the lower limbs and perineum and coccygeal area

lunacy - noun obsolete terms for legal insanity; foolish or senseless behavior

lunatic - adj. insane and believed to be affected by the phases of the moon; noun an insane person; a reckless impetuous irresponsible person

lung - noun either of two saclike respiratory organs in the chest of vertebrates; serves to remove carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to the blood

lyme disease - noun an acute inflammatory disease characterized by a rash with joint swelling and fever; caused by bacteria carried by the bite of a deer tick

lymphatic system - noun the interconnected system of spaces and vessels between body tissues and organs by which lymph circulates throughout the body

lymphedema - noun swelling (usually in the legs) caused by lymph accumulating in the tissues

lymphoblast - noun an immature lymphocyte

lymphokine - noun a cytokine secreted by helper T cells in response to stimulation by antigens and that acts on other cells of the immune system (as by activating macrophages)

lymphoma - noun a neoplasm of lymph tissue that is usually malignant; one of the four major types of cancer

macrobiotic diet - noun a diet consisting chiefly of beans and whole grains

macrocytosis - noun the presence of macrocytes in the blood

madhouse - noun pejorative terms for an insane asylum

magazine - noun a storehouse (as a compartment on a warship) where weapons and ammunition are stored; product consisting of a paperback periodic publication as a physical object; a light-tight supply chamber holding the film and supplying it for exposure as required; a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it; a business firm that publishes magazines; a metal frame or container holding cartridges; can be inserted into an automatic gun

magnesium sulfate - noun a salt of magnesium

malacia - noun a state of abnormal softening of tissue

malaise - noun physical discomfort (as mild sickness or depression)

malignancy - noun (medicine) a malignant state; progressive and resistant to treatment and tending to cause death; quality of being disposed to evil; intense ill will

malingering - noun evading duty or work by pretending to be incapacitated

malnutrition - noun a state of poor nutrition; can result from insufficient or excessive or unbalanced diet or from inability to absorb foods

malpighian layer - noun the innermost layer of the epidermis

management - noun the act of managing something; those in charge of running a business

manchester - noun a city in northwestern England (30 miles east of Liverpool); heart of the most densely populated area of England; largest city in New Hampshire; located in southeastern New Hampshire on the Merrimack river

manhattan - noun a cocktail made with whiskey and sweet vermouth with a dash of bitters; one of the five boroughs of New York City

manna - noun hardened sugary exudation of various trees; (Old Testament) food that God gave the Israelites during the Exodus

manus - noun the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

marche - noun a region in central Italy

marrubium vulgare - noun European aromatic herb with hairy leaves and numerous white flowers in axillary cymes; leaves yield a bitter extract use medicinally and as flavoring

mary baker eddy - noun founder of Christian Science in 1866 (1821-1910)

mast - noun a vertical spar for supporting sails; any sturdy upright pole; nuts of forest trees used as feed for swine; nuts of forest trees (as beechnuts and acorns) accumulated on the ground; used especially as food for swine

materia medica - noun the science or study of drugs: their preparation and properties and uses and effects

means - noun how a result is obtained or an end is achieved; an instrumentality for accomplishing some end; considerable capital (wealth or income)

meatus - noun a natural body passageway

medical - adj. requiring or amenable to treatment by medicine especially as opposed to surgery; relating to the study or practice of medicine; of or belonging to Aesculapius or the healing art; noun a thorough physical examination; includes a variety of tests depending on the age and sex and health of the person

medical diagnosis - noun identification a disease from its symptoms

medical history - noun the case history of a medical patient as recalled by the patient

medical instrument - noun instrument used in the practice of medicine

medical procedure - noun a procedure employed by medical or dental practitioners

medical record - noun the case history of a medical patient as recalled by the patient

medical school - noun a graduate school offering study leading to a medical degree

medical specialty - noun the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques

medication - noun the act of treating with medicines or remedies; (medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease

medicine - noun the learned profession that is mastered by graduate training in a medical school and that is devoted to preventing or alleviating or curing diseases and injuries; (medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease; the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques; punishment for one's actions; verb treat medicinally, treat with medicine

medicine chest - noun cabinet that holds medicines and toiletries

medroxyprogesterone - noun a progestin compound (trade name Provera) used to treat menstrual disorders

medulla - noun the inner part of an organ or structure in plant or animal; lower or hindmost part of the brain; continuous with spinal cord; (`bulb' is an old term for medulla oblongata); a white fatty substance that forms a medullary sheath around the axis cylinder of some nerve fibers

mefloquine - noun an antimalarial drug (trade name Larium and Mephaquine) that is effective in cases that do not respond to chloroquine; said to produce harmful neuropsychiatric effects on some people

megavitamin therapy - noun therapy based on a theory that taking very large doses of vitamins will prevent or cure physical or psychological disorders

megestrol acetate - noun a synthetic progestational compound used to treat endometrial carcinoma

melancholia - noun extreme depression characterized by tearful sadness and irrational fears

melanism - noun a condition characterized by abnormal deposits of melanin (especially in the skin)

melanoma - noun any of several malignant neoplasms (usually of the skin) consisting of melanocytes

melanosis - noun a condition characterized by abnormal deposits of melanin (especially in the skin)

mencken - noun United States journalist and literary critic (1880-1956)

menninger - noun United States psychiatrist who with his sons founded a famous psychiatric clinic in Topeka (1862-1953); United States psychiatrist and son of Charles Menninger (1893-1990); United States psychiatrist and son of Charles Menninger (1899-1966)

menopause - noun the time in a woman's life in which the menstrual cycle ends

meromelia - noun congenital absence of part of an arm or leg

mestranol - noun a synthetic form of estrogen used in combination with a progestin in oral contraceptives

metamorphosis - noun a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft; the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult that occurs in some animals; a striking change in appearance or character or circumstances

methocarbamol - noun muscle relaxant for skeletal muscles (trade name Robaxin) used to treat spasms

methyltestosterone - noun an androgenic compound contained in drugs that are used to treat testosterone deficiency and female breast cancer and to stimulate growth and weight gain

metoprolol - noun beta blocker (trade name Lopressor) used in treating hypertension and angina and arrhythmia and acute myocardial infarction; has adverse side effects (depression and exacerbation of congestive heart failure etc.)

miami - noun a city and resort in southeastern Florida on Biscayne Bay; the best known city in Florida; a haven for retirees and a refuge for Cubans fleeing Castro; a member of the extinct Algonquian people formerly living in northern Indiana and southern Michigan

microcyte - noun an abnormally small red blood cell (less than 5 microns in diameter)

microcytosis - noun a blood disorder characterized by the presence of microcytes (abnormally small red blood cells) in the blood; often associated with anemia

micropenis - noun an abnormally small penis

midazolam - noun an injectable form of benzodiazepine (trade name Versed) useful for sedation and for reducing pain during uncomfortable medical procedures

midbrain - noun the middle portion of the brain

miliary fever - noun epidemic in the 15th and 16th centuries and characterized by profuse sweating and high mortality

miller - noun machine tool in which metal that is secured to a carriage is fed against rotating cutters that shape it; someone who works in a mill (especially a grain mill); United States playwright (born 1915); United States novelist whose novels were originally banned as pornographic (1891-1980); United States bandleader of a popular big band (1909-1944); any of various moths that have powdery wings

mimicry - noun the resemblance of an animal species to another species or to natural objects; provides concealment and protection from predators; the act of mimicking; imitative behavior

mind - noun that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason; knowledge and intellectual ability; attention; recall or remembrance; your intention; what you intend to do; an opinion formed by judging something; an important intellectual; verb keep in mind; be concerned with or about something or somebody; be offended or bothered by; take offense with, be bothered by; be on one's guard; be cautious or wary about; be alert to; be in charge of or deal with; pay close attention to; give heed to

minimisation - noun the act of reducing something to the least possible amount or degree or position

miscarriage - noun failure of a plan; a natural loss of the products of conception

modiolus - noun the central conical bony pillar of the cochlea

molecular - adj. relating to simple or elementary organization; relating to or produced by or consisting of molecules

monitoring - noun the act of observing something (and sometimes keeping a record of it)

monoblast - noun a large immature monocyte normally found in bone marrow

monocytosis - noun increase in the number of monocytes in the blood; symptom of monocytic leukemia

monomania - noun a mania restricted to one thing or idea

monoplegia - noun paralysis of a single limb

monster - noun (medicine) a grossly malformed and usually nonviable fetus; an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts; a cruel wicked and inhuman person; a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed; someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful

morbilliform - adj. of a rash that resembles that of measles

morgue - noun a building (or room) where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation

moron - noun a person of subnormal intelligence

morphine - noun an alkaloid narcotic drug extracted from opium; a powerful, habit-forming narcotic used to relieve pain

morphology - noun the branch of biology that deals with the structure of animals and plants; the branch of geology that studies the characteristics and configuration and evolution of rocks and land forms; the admissible arrangement of sounds in words; studies of the rules for forming admissible words

mortality rate - noun the ratio of deaths in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 per year

mouth - noun the opening of a jar or bottle; the externally visible part of the oral cavity on the face and the system of organs surrounding the opening; the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge; the point where a stream issues into a larger body of water; an opening that resembles a mouth (as of a cave or a gorge); a person conceived as a consumer of food; an impudent or insolent rejoinder; a spokesperson (as a lawyer); verb articulate silently; form words with the lips only; touch with the mouth; express in speech

multiple myeloma - noun myeloma that develops in several places at the same time

mumps - noun an acute contagious viral disease characterized by fever and by swelling of the parotid glands

mustard plaster - noun a plaster containing powdered black mustard; applied to the skin as a counterirritant or rubefacient

myoma - noun a benign tumor composed of muscle tissue

myotomy - noun surgical incision or division of a muscle

mysophobia - noun a morbid fear of dirt or contamination

myxoma virus - noun a poxvirus closely related to smallpox virus; causes benign gelatinous tumors in humans

myxomatosis - noun a viral disease (usually fatal) of rabbits

nabumetone - noun a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Relafen)

nalorphine - noun a narcotic antagonist (trade name Nalline) that counteracts the effects of narcotics (especially the effects of poisoning by morphine)

naloxone - noun a potent narcotic antagonist (trade name Narcan) especially effective with morphine

nape - noun the back side of the neck

naples - noun a port and tourist center in southwestern Italy; capital of the Campania region

nash - noun United States writer noted for his droll epigrams (1902-1971)

naturopathy - noun a method of treating disease using food and exercise and heat to assist the natural healing process

nebulizer - noun a dispenser that turns a liquid (such as perfume) into a fine mist

necrobiosis - noun (physiology) the normal degeneration and death of living cells (as in various epithelial cells)

necropsy - noun an examination and dissection of a dead body to determine cause of death or the changes produced by disease

necrosis - noun the localized death of living cells (as from infection or the interruption of blood supply)

nephrosis - noun a disease affecting the kidneys; a syndrome characterized by edema and large amounts of protein in the urine and usually increased blood cholesterol; usually associated with glomerulonephritis or with a complication of various systemic diseases

nephrotomy - noun incision into a kidney (usually to remove a kidney stone)

neurasthenia - noun nervous breakdown (not in technical use)

neuroanatomy - noun the anatomy of the nervous system

neurologist - noun a medical specialist in the nervous system and the disorders affecting it

neuron - noun a cell that is specialized to conduct nerve impulses

neuropathy - noun any pathology of the peripheral nerves

neurophysiology - noun the branch of neuroscience that studies the physiology of the nervous system

neuroscience - noun the scientific study of the nervous system

neurosis - noun a mental or personality disturbance not attributable to any known neurological or organic dysfunction

neurosurgery - noun any surgery that involves the nervous system (brain or spinal cord or peripheral nerves)

nevus - noun a blemish on the skin that is formed before birth

new zealand - noun North Island and South Island and adjacent small islands in the South Pacific; an independent country within the British Commonwealth; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1907; known for sheep and spectacular scenery

nitpicking - adj. quibbling over insignificant details

nitroglycerin - noun a heavy yellow poisonous oily explosive liquid obtained by nitrating glycerol; used in making explosives and medically as a vasodilator (trade names Nitrospan and Nitrostat)

nodule - noun a small node; (mineralogy) a small rounded lump of mineral substance (usually harder than the surrounding rock or sediment); small rounded wartlike protuberance on a plant

nonunion - adj. not belonging to or not allowing affiliation with a trade union

norethandrolone - noun a synthetic progestational hormone (trade name Norlutin) used in oral contraceptives and to treat endometriosis

nortriptyline - noun a tricyclic antidepressant drug (trade name Pamelor) used along with psychotherapy to treat dysthymic depression; may interact dangerously if taken with other drugs

nosology - noun the branch of medical science dealing with the classification of disease

nova scotia - noun the Canadian province in the Maritimes consisting of the Nova Scotia peninsula and Cape Breton Island; French settlers who called the area Acadia were exiled to Louisiana by the British in the 1750s and their descendants are know as Cajuns; a peninsula in eastern Canada between the Bay of Fundy and the Saint Lawrence River

novel - adj. pleasantly new or different; original and of a kind not seen before; noun a printed and bound book that is an extended work of fiction; a extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story

nurse - noun one skilled in caring for young children or the sick (usually under the supervision of a physician); a woman who is the custodian of children; verb try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury; treat carefully; serve as a nurse; care for sick or handicapped people; give suck to; maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)

nutrition - noun the scientific study of food and drink (especially in humans); (physiology) the organic process of nourishing or being nourished; the processes by which an organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and maintenance; a source of materials to nourish the body

obsessed - adj. influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion; having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something

obsessive - adj. characterized by or constituting an obsession; noun a person who has obsessions

oculist - noun a medical doctor specializing in the treatment of diseases of the eye; a person skilled in testing for defects of vision in order to prescribe corrective glasses

odynophagia - noun severe pain on swallowing due to a disorder of the esophagus

ohio - noun a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region; a river that is formed in western Pennsylvania and flows westward to become a tributary of the Mississippi River

old age - noun a late time of life

oliver - noun United States jazz musician who influenced the style of Louis Armstrong (1885-1938)

oncogene - noun a gene that causes normal cells to change into cancerous tumor cells

ontario - noun a prosperous and industrialized province in central Canada; the smallest of the Great Lakes

open fracture - noun bone fracture associated with lacerated soft tissue or an open wound

operating table - noun table on which the patient lies during a surgical operation

operating theater - noun a room in a hospital equipped for the performance of surgical operations

operculum - noun a hard flap serving as a cover for (a) the gill slits in fishes or (b) the opening of the shell in certain gastropods when the body is retracted

ophthalmology - noun the branch of medicine concerned with the eye and its diseases

ophthalmoscopy - noun examination of the interior of an eye using an ophthalmoscope

orchid - noun any of numerous plants of the orchid family usually having flowers of unusual shapes and beautiful colors

organisation - noun the act of forming something; the activity or result of distributing or disposing persons or things properly or methodically; the act of organizing a business or an activity related to a business; an ordered manner; orderliness by virtue of being methodical and well organized; an organized structure for arranging or classifying; a group of people who work together; the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something

organization - noun the activity or result of distributing or disposing persons or things properly or methodically; the act of organizing a business or an activity related to a business; an ordered manner; orderliness by virtue of being methodical and well organized; a group of people who work together; the act of forming something; an organized structure for arranging or classifying; the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something

orpheus - noun (Greek mythology) a great musician; when his wife Eurydice died he went to Hades to get her back but failed

osteopathy - noun therapy based on the assumption that restoring health is best accomplished by manipulating the skeleton and muscles

osteosclerosis - noun abnormal hardening or eburnation of bone

otic - adj. of or relating to near the ear

otitis - noun inflammation of the ear

otoscope - noun medical instrument consisting of a magnifying lens and light; used for examining the external ear (the auditory meatus and especially the tympanic membrane)

oval window - noun fenestra that has the base of the stapes attached to it

ovotestis - noun hermaphroditic gonad that contains both testicular and ovarian tissue

ovulation - noun the expulsion of an ovum from the ovary (usually midway in the menstrual cycle)

oxazepam - noun a tranquilizing drug (trade name Serax) used to treat anxiety and insomnia and alcohol withdrawal

oxford - noun a low shoe laced over the instep; a city in southern England northwest of London; site of Oxford University; a university town in northern Mississippi; home of William Faulkner; a university in England

oxycephaly - noun a congenital abnormality of the skull; the top of the skull assumes a cone shape

oxygen - noun a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust

pachyderma - noun thickening of the skin (usually unilateral on an extremity) caused by congenital enlargement of lymph vessel and lymph vessel obstruction

paediatrics - noun the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of infants and children

painting - noun the occupation of a house painter; the act of applying paint to a surface; creating a picture with paints; graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface

palatine raphe - noun the seam at the middle of the hard palate

pallor - noun unnatural lack of color in the skin (as from bruising or sickness or emotional distress)

palsy - noun a condition marked by uncontrollable tremor; loss of the ability to move a body part; verb affect with palsy

panacea - noun hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; once sought by the alchemists; (Greek mythology) the goddess of healing; daughter of Aesculapius and sister of Hygeia

pancreatitis - noun inflammation of the pancreas; usually marked by abdominal pain

panic disorder - noun an anxiety disorder characterized by unpredictable panic attacks; the attacks are usually severe but brief

pap test - noun a method of examining stained cells in a cervical smear for early diagnosis of uterine cancer

papillary tumor - noun a benign epithelial tumor forming a rounded mass

papule - noun a small inflamed elevation of skin that is nonsuppurative (as in chicken pox)

paracentesis - noun centesis of the belly to remove fluid for diagnosis

paramedic - noun a person trained to assist medical professionals and to give emergency medical treatment

parasitemia - noun a condition in which parasites are present in the blood

paresis - noun a slight or partial paralysis

park - noun a gear position that acts as a parking brake; a large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property; a piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area; Scottish explorer in Africa (1771-1806); a facility in which ball games are played (especially baseball games); a lot where cars are parked; verb place temporarily; maneuver a vehicle into a parking space

pastille - noun a medicated lozenge used to soothe the throat

paternity - noun the state of being a father; the act of initiating a new idea or theory or writing; the kinship relation between an offspring and the father

path - noun a way especially designed for a particular use; an established line of travel or access; a line or route along which something travels or moves; a course of conduct

pathology - noun the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases; any deviation from a healthy or normal condition

patient - adj. enduring without protest or complaint; enduring trying circumstances with even temper or characterized by such endurance; noun a person who requires medical care; the semantic role of an entity that is not the agent but is directly involved in or affected by the happening denoted by the verb in the clause

peduncle - noun a bundle of myelinated neurons joining different parts of the brain; stalk bearing an inflorescence or solitary flower; the thin process of tissue that attaches a polyp to the body

pegleg - noun a prosthesis that replaces a missing leg

penicillamine - noun a drug (trade name Cuprimine) used to treat heavy metal poisoning and Wilson's disease and severe arthritis

penile implant - noun an implant that creates an artificial erection

penn - noun Englishman and Quaker who founded the colony of Pennsylvania (1644-1718); a university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

pentobarbital - noun a barbiturate (trade name Nembutal) used as a sedative and hypnotic and antispasmodic

pericardium - noun a serous membrane with two layers that surrounds the heart

periodic breathing - noun abnormal respiration in which periods of shallow and deep breathing alternate

peru - noun a republic in western South America; achieved independence from Spain in 1821; was the heart of the Inca empire from the 12th to 16th centuries

pessary - noun a contraceptive device consisting of a flexible dome-shaped cup made of rubber or plastic; it is filled with spermicide and fitted over the uterine cervix

petrissage - noun massage of the skin which is gently lifted and squeezed

pharmacology - noun the science or study of drugs: their preparation and properties and uses and effects

pharmacy - noun the art and science of preparing and dispensing drugs and medicines,; a retail shop where medicine and other articles are sold

pharyngeal recess - noun a small recess in the wall of the pharynx

pharynx - noun the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone

phase - noun (astronomy) the particular appearance of a body's state of illumination (especially one of the recurring shapes of the part of Earth's moon that is illuminated by the sun); (physical chemistry) a distinct state of matter in a system; matter that is identical in chemical composition and physical state and separated from other material by the phase boundary; a particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle; any distinct time period in a sequence of events; verb adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition; arrange in phases or stages

phencyclidine - noun a drug used as an anesthetic by veterinarians; illicitly taken (originally in the form of powder or `dust') for its effects as a hallucinogen

phenylpropanolamine - noun an adrenergic drug used in many preparations to relieve allergic reactions or respiratory infections

phenytoin - noun an anticonvulsant drug (trade name Dilantin) used to treat epilepsy and that is not a sedative

philosophy - noun any personal belief about how to live or how to deal with a situation; the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics; a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

physician - noun a licensed medical practitioner

physics - noun the science of matter and energy and their interactions

physiology - noun processes and functions of an organism; the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms

pimple - noun a small inflamed elevation of the skin; a pustule or papule; common symptom in acne

pink lady - noun a cocktail made of gin and brandy with lemon juice and grenadine shaken with an egg white and ice

pityriasis - noun any of several skin disorders characterized by shedding dry flakes of skin

placebo - noun (Roman Catholic Church) vespers of the office for the dead; an innocuous or inert medication; given as a pacifier or to the control group in experiments on the efficacy of a drug

plasmapheresis - noun plasma is separated from whole blood and the rest is returned to the donor

plastic surgery - noun surgery concerned with therapeutic or cosmetic reformation of tissue

play - noun the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully; activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules; gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; a preset plan of action in team sports; utilization or exercise; a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; a theatrical performance of a drama; a state in which action is feasible; the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize); (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill; an attempt to get something; movement or space for movement; verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously); a weak and tremulous light; the removal of constraints; (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds; verb engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; participate in games or sport; employ in a game or in a specific position; use or move; shoot or hit in a particular manner; bet or wager (money); put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; make bets; use to one's advantage; discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; perform on a certain location; be performed; cause to emit recorded sounds; emit recorded sound; pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; replay (as a melody); play on an instrument; perform music on (a musical instrument); move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome; engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; behave in a certain way; be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; consider not very seriously; contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; stake on the outcome of an issue; manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; play a role or part; perform on a stage or theater; behave carelessly or indifferently

pleomorphism - noun (biology) the appearance of two or more distinctly different forms in the life cycle of some organisms; (chemistry) the existence of different kinds of crystal of the same chemical compound

plethysmograph - noun a measuring instrument for measuring changes in volume of a part or organ or whole body (usually resulting from fluctuations in the amount of blood it contains)

pleximeter - noun a small thin metal plate held against the body and struck with a plexor in percussive examinations

pneumonia - noun respiratory disease characterized by inflammation of the lung parenchyma (excluding the bronchi) with congestion caused by viruses or bacteria or irritants

police officer - noun a member of a police force

polio - noun an acute viral disease marked by inflammation of nerve cells of the brain stem and spinal cord

poliosis - noun loss of color from the hair

polymerase - noun an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of new DNA and RNA from an existing strand of DNA or RNA

population control - noun control over the growth of population; a government program

port - adj. located on the left side of a ship or aircraft; noun an opening (in a wall or ship or armored vehicle) for firing through; sweet dark-red dessert wine originally from Portugal; a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country; (computer science) computer circuit consisting of the hardware and associated circuitry that links one device with another (especially a computer and a hard disk drive or other peripherals); the left side of a ship or aircraft to someone facing the bow or nose; verb drink port; carry or hold with both hands diagonally across the body, especially of weapons; carry, bear, convey, or bring; turn or go to the port or left side, of a ship; land at or reach a port; bring to port; put or turn on the left side, of a ship; transfer data from one computer to another via a cable that links connecting ports

posset - noun sweet spiced hot milk curdled with ale or beer

poultice - noun a medical dressing consisting of a soft heated mass of meal or clay that is spread on a cloth and applied to the skin to treat inflamed areas or improve circulation etc.; verb dress by covering with a therapeutic substance

poultry - noun flesh of chickens or turkeys or ducks or geese raised for food; a domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl

power of attorney - noun a legal instrument authorizing someone to act as the grantor's agent

prandial - adj. of or relating to a meal

precordium - noun the external surface of the body overlying the heart and stomach

prednisolone - noun a glucocorticoid (trade names Pediapred or Prelone) used to treat inflammatory conditions

prednisone - noun a dehydrogenated analogue of cortisol (trade names Orasone or Deltasone or Liquid Pred or Meticorten); used as an anti-inflammatory drug in the treatment of arthritis and as an immunosuppressant

pregnancy - noun the state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth when a woman carries a developing fetus in her uterus

prescription drug - noun a drug that is available only with written instructions from a doctor or dentist to a pharmacist

presentation - noun a show or display; the act of presenting something to sight or view; the activity of formally presenting something (as a prize or reward); (obstetrics) position of the fetus in the uterus relative to the birth canal; the act of making something publicly available; presenting news or other information by broadcasting or printing it; the act of presenting a proposal; formally making a person known to another or to the public; a visual representation of something

preservation - noun the activity of protecting something from loss or danger; a process that saves organic substances from decay; the condition of being (well or ill) preserved; an occurrence of improvement by virtue of preventing loss or injury or other change

pressure point - noun any of several points on the body where the pulse can be felt and where pressure on an underlying artery will control bleeding from that artery at a more distal point

prevention - noun the act of preventing

princess of wales - noun English aristocrat who was the first wife of Prince Charles; her death in an automobile accident in Paris produced intense national mourning (1961-1997)

prize - adj. of superior grade; noun something given for victory or superiority in a contest or competition or for winning a lottery; something given as a token of victory; goods or money obtained illegally; verb hold dear; regard highly; think much of; to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open

pro re nata - adv. according to need (physicians use PRN in writing prescriptions)

proboscis - noun a long flexible snout as of an elephant; the human nose (especially when it is large)

process - noun a sustained phenomenon or one marked by gradual changes through a series of states; a natural prolongation or projection from a part of an organism either animal or plant; (psychology) the performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contents; a mental process that you are not directly aware of; a particular course of action intended to achieve a result; a writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant; verb subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition; perform mathematical and logical operations on (data) according to programmed instructions in order to obtain the required information; deal with in a routine way; deliver a warrant or summons to someone; shape, form, or improve a material; march in a procession; institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against

prognosis - noun a prediction of the course of a disease; a prediction about how something (as the weather) will develop

program - noun a performance (or series of performances) at a public presentation; a system of projects or services intended to meet a public need; (computer science) a sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute; an announcement of the events that will occur as part of a theatrical or sporting event; a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished; a document stating the aims and principles of a political party; a radio or television show; an integrated course of academic studies; verb arrange a program of or for; write a computer program

progressive vaccinia - noun a severe or even fatal form of vaccinia that occurs mainly in persons with an immunological deficiency; characterized by progressive enlargement of the initial lesion

prosthesis - noun corrective consisting of a replacement for a part of the body

proto - adj. indicating the first or earliest or original

prurigo - noun chronic inflammatory disease of the skin characterized by blister capped papules and intense itching

psychiatric hospital - noun a hospital for mentally incompetent or unbalanced person

psychiatrist - noun a physician who specializes in psychiatry

psychiatry - noun the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders

psychoanalyst - noun a licensed practitioner of psychoanalysis

psychologist - noun a scientist trained in psychology

psychology - noun the science of mental life

psychopathy - noun any disease of the mind; the psychological state of someone who has emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to require psychiatric intervention

psychosurgery - noun brain surgery on human patients intended to relieve severe and otherwise intractable mental or behavioral problems

pulse - noun the rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each beat of the heart; edible seeds of various pod-bearing plants (peas or beans or lentils etc.); the rate at which the heart beats; usually measured to obtain a quick evaluation of a person's health; (electronics) a sharp transient wave in the normal electrical state (or a series of such transients); verb produce or modulate (as electromagnetic waves) in the form of short bursts or pulses or cause an apparatus to produce pulses; drive by or as if by pulsation; expand and contract rhythmically; beat rhythmically

purpura - noun any of several blood diseases causing subcutaneous bleeding

putrefaction - noun a state of decay usually accompanied by an offensive odor; moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles; (biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action

pyelogram - noun an X ray of the kidneys and ureters

pyknosis - noun a degenerative state of the cell nucleus

pyocyanase - noun a yellow-green mixture of antibiotics obtained from the bacillus of green pus

pyuria - noun presence of white blood cells in the urine; symptom of urinary tract infection

quackery - noun medical practice and advice based on observation and experience in ignorance of scientific findings; the dishonesty of a charlatan

quaker - noun one who quakes and trembles with (or as with) fear; a member of the Religious Society of Friends founded by George Fox (the Friends have never called themselves Quakers)

quality of life - noun your personal satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with the cultural or intellectual conditions under which you live (as distinct from material comfort)

quarantine - noun isolation to prevent the spread of infectious disease; enforced isolation of patients suffering from a contagious disease in order to prevent the spread of disease; verb place into enforced isolation, as for medical reasons

rabid - adj. of or infected by rabies; marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea

radiation - noun the act of spreading outward from a central source; a radial arrangement of nerve fibers connecting different parts of the brain; the spread of a group of organisms into new habitats; energy that is radiated or transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles; the spontaneous emission of a stream of particles or electromagnetic rays in nuclear decay; (medicine) the treatment of disease (especially cancer) by exposure to a radioactive substance; syndrome resulting from exposure to ionizing radiation (e.g., exposure to radioactive chemicals or to nuclear explosions); low doses cause diarrhea and nausea and vomiting and sometimes loss of hair; greater exposure can cause sterility and cataracts and some forms of cancer and other diseases; severe exposure can cause death within hours

radiation therapy - noun (medicine) the treatment of disease (especially cancer) by exposure to a radioactive substance

radiobiology - noun the branch of biology that studies the effects of radiation on living organisms

radiology - noun the branch of medical science dealing with the medical use of X-rays or other penetrating radiation; (radiology) examination of the inner structure of opaque objects using X rays or other penetrating radiation

radiotherapy - noun (medicine) the treatment of disease (especially cancer) by exposure to a radioactive substance

raptorial - adj. relating to or characteristic of birds of prey; living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey

rash - adj. imprudently incurring risk; marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences; noun a series of unexpected and unpleasant occurrences; any red eruption of the skin

recrudescence - noun a return of something after a period of abatement

redcap - noun a porter who helps passengers with their baggage at a railroad station; a member of the military police in Britain

reed - noun a vibrator consisting of a thin strip of stiff material that vibrates to produce a tone when air streams over it; United States physician who proved that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes (1851-1902); United States journalist who reported on the October Revolution from Petrograd in 1917; founded the Communist Labor Party in America in 1919; is buried in the Kremlin in Moscow (1887-1920); tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites; a musical instrument that sounds by means of a vibrating reed

referral - noun the act of referring (as forwarding an applicant for employment or referring a matter to an appropriate agency); a recommendation to consult the (professional) person referred to

reformer - noun an apparatus that reforms the molecular structure of hydrocarbons to produce richer fuel; a disputant who advocates reform

regeneration - noun the activity of spiritual or physical renewal; (biology) growth anew of lost tissue or destroyed parts or organs; forming again (especially with improvements or removal of defects); renewing and reconstituting; feedback in phase with (augmenting) the input

regimen - noun (medicine) a systematic plan for therapy (often including diet)

regression - noun returning to a former state; the relation between selected values of x and observed values of y (from which the most probable value of y can be predicted for any value of x); (psychiatry) a defense mechanism in which you flee from reality by assuming a more infantile state; an abnormal state in which development has stopped prematurely

rejuvenation - noun the act of restoring to a more youthful condition; the phenomenon of vitality and freshness being restored

remission - noun (law) the act of remitting (especially the referral of a law case to another court); an abatement in intensity or degree (as in the manifestations of a disease); the act of absolving or remitting; formal redemption as pronounced by a priest in the sacrament of penance; a payment of money sent to a person in another place

reproduction - noun the sexual activity of conceiving and bearing offspring; the act of making copies; recall that is hypothesized to work by storing the original stimulus input and reproducing it during recall; the process of generating offspring; copy that is not the original; something that has been copied

reproductive cloning - noun making a full living copy of an organism; requires a surrogate mother

research - noun systematic investigation to establish facts; a search for knowledge; verb inquire into; attempt to find out in a systematically and scientific manner

residency - noun the position of physician who is receiving special training in a hospital (usually after completing an internship); the act of dwelling in a place

resuscitator - noun a breathing apparatus used for resuscitation by forcing oxygen into the lungs of a person who has undergone asphyxia or arrest of respiration

rhabdomyoma - noun benign rumor of striated muscle

rheumatology - noun the branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of pathologies of the muscles or tendons or joints

rhinoscope - noun medical instrument consisting of a mirror mounted at an angle on a rod; used to examine the nasal passages (through the nasopharynx)

rice - noun grains used as food either unpolished or more often polished; United States playwright (1892-1967); English lyricist who frequently worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber (born in 1944); annual or perennial rhizomatous marsh grasses; seed used for food; straw used for paper; verb sieve so that it becomes the consistency of rice

riga - noun a port city on the Gulf of Riga that is the capital and largest city of Latvia; formerly a member of the Hanseatic League

riggs' disease - noun chronic periodontitis; purulent inflammation of the teeth sockets

rigor mortis - noun muscular stiffening that begins 2 to 4 hours after death and last for about 4 days; temporary stiffness of joints and muscular rigidity occurring after death

rima glottidis - noun the space between the two true vocal folds

rima vestibuli - noun the opening between the false vocal folds

rinderpest - noun an acute infectious viral disease of cattle (usually fatal); characterized by fever and diarrhea and inflammation of mucous membranes

ring - noun jewelry consisting of a circlet of precious metal (often set with jewels) worn on the finger; a square platform marked off by ropes in which contestants box or wrestle; a characteristic sound; the sound of a bell ringing; a toroidal shape; a strip of material attached to the leg of a bird to identify it (as in studies of bird migration); a rigid circular band of metal or wood or other material used for holding or fastening or hanging or pulling; an association of criminals; (chemistry) a chain of atoms in a molecule that forms a closed loop; verb attach a ring to the foot of, in order to identify; sound loudly and sonorously; make (bells) ring, often for the purposes of musical edification; get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone; ring or echo with sound; be around

risk of infection - noun the probability of becoming infected given that exposure to an infectious agent has occurred

robot - noun a mechanism that can move automatically

robustness - noun the characteristic of being strong enough to withstand intellectual challenge; the property of being strong and healthy in constitution

roosevelt - noun 26th President of the United States; hero of the Spanish-American War; Panama Canal was built during his administration; 32nd President of the United States; elected four times; instituted New Deal to counter the great depression and led country during World War II (1882-1945); wife of Franklin Roosevelt and a strong advocate of human rights (1884-1962)

rosette - noun an ornament or pattern resembling a rose that is worn as a badge of office or as recognition of having won an honor; a cluster of leaves growing in crowded circles from a common center or crown (usually at or close to the ground); circular window filled with tracery; rhizoctinia disease of potatoes

ross - noun American seamstress said to have made the first American flag at the request of George Washington (1752-1836); a politician in Wyoming who was the first woman governor in the United States (1876-1977); British physician who discovered that mosquitos transmit malaria (1857-1932); British explorer of the Arctic and Antarctic; located the north magnetic pole in 1831; discovered the Ross Sea in Antarctica; nephew of Sir John Ross (1800-1862); Scottish explorer who led Arctic expeditions that yielded geographic discoveries while searching for the Northwest Passage (1777-1856)

rostrum - noun beaklike projection of the anterior part of the head of certain insects such as e.g. weevils; a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it

rubefacient - noun a medicine for external application that produces redness of the skin

rubinstein - noun Russian composer and pianist (1829-1894); United States pianist (born in Poland) known for his interpretations of the music of Chopin (1886-1982)

sabah - noun a region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo

sabin - noun United States microbiologist (born in Poland) who developed the Sabin vaccine that is taken orally against poliomyelitis (born 1906); a unit of acoustic absorption equivalent to the absorption by a square foot of a surface that absorbs all incident sound

sadomasochism - noun sadism and masochism combined in one person

safe sex - noun sexual activity (especially sexual intercourse) with the use of measures (such as latex condoms) to avoid the transmission of disease (especially AIDS)

salp - noun minute floating marine tunicate having a transparent body with an opening at each end

salter - noun someone who makes or deals in salt; someone who uses salt to preserve meat or fish or other foods

salve - noun anything that remedies or heals or soothes; semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation; verb apply a salve to, usually for the purpose of healing; save from ruin, destruction, or harm

samarium - noun a grey lustrous metallic element of the rare earth group; is used in special alloys; occurs in monazite and bastnasite

sampling - noun (statistics) the selection of a suitable sample for study; measurement at regular intervals of the amplitude of a varying waveform (in order to convert it to digital form); items selected at random from a population and used to test hypotheses about the population

san pablo - noun a town in western California north of Oakland on an arm of San Francisco Bay

sauna - noun a Finnish steam bath; steam is produced by pouring water over heated rocks

scale - noun a flattened rigid plate forming part of the body covering of many animals; an indicator having a graduated sequence of marks; a measuring instrument for weighing; shows amount of mass; (music) a series of notes differing in pitch according to a specific scheme (usually within an octave); a thin flake of dead epidermis shed from the surface of the skin; a specialized leaf or bract that protects a bud or catkin; relative magnitude; the ratio between the size of something and a representation of it; an ordered reference standard; a metal sheathing of uniform thickness (such as the shield attached to an artillery piece to protect the gunners); verb size or measure according to a scale; measure with or as if with scales; remove the scales from; pattern, make, regulate, set, measure, or estimate according to some rate or standard; climb up by means of a ladder; reach the highest point of; take by attacking with scaling ladders; measure by or as if by a scale

scalp - noun the skin that covers the top of the head; verb remove the scalp of; sell illegally, as on the black market

scalpel - noun a thin straight surgical knife used in dissection and surgery

scar - noun a mark left (usually on the skin) by the healing of injured tissue; an indication of damage; verb mark with a scar

schiller - noun German romantic writer (1759-1805)

science - noun a particular branch of scientific knowledge; ability to produce solutions in some problem domain

science fiction - noun literary fantasy involving the imagined impact of science on society

scientific - adj. conforming with the principles or methods used in science; of or relating to the practice of science

sclerosis - noun any pathological hardening or thickening of tissue

scotland - noun one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts

screening - noun testing objects or persons in order to identify those with particular characteristics; fabric of metal or plastic mesh; the display of a motion picture; the act of concealing the existence of something by obstructing the view of it

scrubs - noun protective garment worn by surgeons during operations

scurvy - adj. of the most contemptible kind; noun a condition caused by deficiency of ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

scute - noun large bony or horny plate as on an armadillo or turtle or the underside of a snake

sea louse - noun marine isopod crustacean

seasoning - noun the act of adding a seasoning to food; something added to food primarily for the savor it imparts

sequela - noun any abnormality following or resulting from a disease or injury or treatment

sequence - noun film consisting of a succession of related shots that develop a given subject in a movie; a following of one thing after another in time; several repetitions of a melodic phrase in different keys; serial arrangement in which things follow in logical order or a recurrent pattern; the action of following in order; verb arrange in a sequence; determine the order of constituents in

shaman - noun in societies practicing shamanism: one acting as a medium between the visible and spirit worlds; practices sorcery for healing or divination

shamanism - noun an animistic religion of northern Asia having the belief that the mediation between the visible and the spirit worlds is effected by shamans; any animistic religion similar to Asian shamanism (especially as practiced by certain Native American tribes)

shangri-la - noun any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

sheep - noun woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat; a docile and vulnerable person who would rather follow than make an independent decision; a timid defenseless simpleton who is readily preyed upon

shell shock - noun a mental disorder caused by stress of active warfare

shiatsu - noun treatment of symptoms by applying pressure with the fingers to specific pressure points on the body

sigmund freud - noun Austrian neurologist who originated psychoanalysis (1856-1939)

silk - noun a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae; fibers from silkworm cocoons provide threads for knitting

sine qua non - noun a prerequisite

singapore - noun an island south of the Malay Peninsula; a country in southeastern Asia on the island of Singapore; achieved independence from Malaysia in 1965; the capital of Singapore; one of the world's biggest ports

skeleton - noun the internal supporting structure that gives an artifact its shape; a scandal that is kept secret; something reduced to its minimal form; the hard structure (bones and cartilages) that provides a frame for the body of an animal

skin - noun an outer surface (usually thin); a bag serving as a container for liquids; it is made from the hide of an animal; a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch; a person's skin regarded as their life; the tissue forming the hard outer layer (of e.g. a fruit); body covering of a living animal; the rind of a fruit or vegetable; verb strip the skin off; bruise, cut, or injure the skin or the surface of; remove the bark of a tree; climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling

skin cancer - noun a malignant neoplasm of the skin

skin test - noun any test to determine immunity or sensitivity to a disease by introducing small amounts on or into the skin

sleep - noun a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended; a torpid state resembling deep sleep; a period of time spent sleeping; euphemisms for death (based on an analogy between lying in a bed and in a tomb); verb be asleep; be able to accommodate for sleeping

sling - noun bandage to support an injured forearm; consisting of a wide triangular piece of cloth hanging from around the neck; a simple weapon consisting of a looped strap in which a projectile is whirled and then released; a highball with liquor and water with sugar and lemon or lime juice; a shoe that has a strap that wraps around the heel; a plaything consisting of a Y-shaped stick with elastic between the arms; used to propel small stones; verb hurl as if with a sling

small intestine - noun the longest part of the alimentary canal; where digestion is completed

smith - noun someone who works metal (especially by hammering it when it is hot and malleable); someone who works at something specified; Scottish economist who advocated private enterprise and free trade (1723-1790); English explorer who helped found the colony at Jamestown, Virginia; was said to have been saved by Pocahontas (1580-1631); religious leader who founded the Mormon Church in 1830 (1805-1844); United States blues singer (1894-1937); United States suffragist who refused to pay taxes until she could vote (1792-1886); United States singer noted for her rendition of patriotic songs (1909-1986); United States sculptor (1906-1965); Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

snellen chart - noun display consisting of a printed card with letters and numbers in lines of decreasing size; used to test visual acuity

snout - noun a long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's head; especially the nose; beaklike projection of the anterior part of the head of certain insects such as e.g. weevils; informal terms for the nose

social scientist - noun someone expert in the study of human society and its personal relationships

socrates - noun ancient Athenian philosopher; teacher of Plato and Xenophon (470-399 BC)

sodium bicarbonate - noun a white soluble compound (NaHCO3) used in effervescent drinks and in baking powders and as an antacid

software - noun (computer science) written programs or procedures or rules and associated documentation pertaining to the operation of a computer system and that are stored in read/write memory

song - noun the act of singing; a short musical composition with words; a distinctive or characteristic sound; a very small sum; the characteristic sound produced by a bird; the imperial dynasty of China from 960 to 1279; noted for art and literature and philosophy

sopor - noun a torpid state resembling deep sleep

souffle - noun light fluffy dish of egg yolks and stiffly beaten egg whites mixed with e.g. cheese or fish or fruit

sound - adj. thorough; free from moral defect; financially secure and safe; in good condition; free from defect or damage or decay; (of sleep) deep and complete; in excellent physical condition; exercising or showing good judgment; having legal efficacy or force; logically valid; noun the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause; the subjective sensation of hearing something; the sudden occurrence of an audible event; a large ocean inlet or deep bay; mechanical vibrations transmitted by an elastic medium; the audible part of a transmitted signal; (phonetics) an individual sound unit of speech without concern as to whether or not it is a phoneme of some language; a narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water; verb appear in a certain way; give off a certain sound or sounds; make a certain noise or sound; cause to sound; announce by means of a sound; measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line; utter with vibrating vocal chords

source - noun a facility where something is available; anything that provides inspiration for later work; a document (or organization) from which information is obtained; (technology) a process by which energy or a substance enters a system; a publication (or a passage from a publication) that is referred to; the place where something begins, where it springs into being; anything (a person or animal or plant or substance) in which an infectious agent normally lives and multiplies; someone who originates or causes or initiates something; a person who supplies information; verb specify the origin of; get (a product) from another country or business

south korea - noun a republic in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula; established in 1948

species - noun a specific kind of something; (biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed

speculum - noun a medical instrument for dilating a bodily passage or cavity in order to examine the interior; a mirror (especially one made of polished metal) for use in an optical instrument

sphygmomanometer - noun a pressure gauge for measuring blood pressure

spillover - noun (economics) any indirect effect of public expenditure

spinnbarkeit - noun the capacity of a viscous liquid (especially the cervical mucus) to be drawn out into a strand or blown up into a bubble

spironolactone - noun a synthetic corticosteroid (trade name Aldactone) used to treat hypertension

spleen - noun a large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses; a feeling of resentful anger

spur - noun a sharp prod fixed to a rider's heel and used to urge a horse onward; tubular extension at the base of the corolla in some flowers; any sharply pointed projection; a railway line connected to a trunk line; a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something; verb goad with spurs; equip with spurs; strike with a spur; give heart or courage to; incite or stimulate

squeamishness - noun the trait of being excessively fastidious and easily shocked; a mild state of nausea

stage fright - noun fear that affects a person about to face an audience

stainless steel - noun steel containing chromium that makes it resistant to corrosion

stanley - noun Welsh journalist and explorer who led an expedition to Africa in search of David Livingstone and found him in Tanzania in 1871; he and Livingstone together tried to find the source of the Nile River (1841-1904); United States inventor who built a steam-powered automobile (1849-1918)

state - noun the way something is with respect to its main attributes; a politically organized body of people under a single government; the group of people comprising the government of a sovereign state; the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation; a state of depression or agitation; the federal department in the United States that sets and maintains foreign policies; the territory occupied by a nation; (chemistry) the three traditional states of matter are solids (fixed shape and volume) and liquids (fixed volume and shaped by the container) and gases (filling the container); verb express in words; put before; indicate through a symbol, formula, etc.

stenosis - noun abnormal narrowing of a bodily canal or passageway

stent - noun a slender tube inserted inside a tubular body part (as a blood vessel) to provide support during and after surgical anastomosis

stertor - noun the act of snoring or producing a snoring sound

stethoscope - noun a medical instrument for listening to the sounds generated inside the body

stigma - noun a skin lesion that is a diagnostic sign of some disease; an external tracheal aperture in a terrestrial arthropod; the apical end of the style where deposited pollen enters the pistil; a symbol of disgrace or infamy

stillbirth - noun a natural loss of the products of conception

stinger - noun a sharp stinging blow; a sharp organ of offense or defense (as of a wasp or stingray or scorpion) often connected with a poison gland; a portable low altitude surface-to-air missile system using infrared guidance and an impact fuse; fired from the shoulder; a remark capable of wounding mentally; a cocktail made of made of creme de menthe and brandy

stomach - noun an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion; an appetite for food; an inclination or liking for things involving conflict or difficulty or unpleasantness; the region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis; verb bear to eat; put up with something or somebody unpleasant

straight - adj. right; in keeping with the facts; successive (without a break); following a correct or logical method; (of hair) having no waves or curls; not homosexual; erect in posture; having no deviations; free from curves or angles; characterized by honesty and fairness; neatly arranged; not disorderly; rigidly conventional or old-fashioned; without water; without evasion or compromise; accurately fitted; level; no longer coiled; adv. in a straight line; in a direct course; without deviation; in a forthright manner; candidly or frankly; noun a poker hand with 5 consecutive cards (regardless of suit); a straight segment of a roadway or racecourse; a heterosexual person; someone having a sexual orientation to persons of the opposite sex

straw - adj. of a pale yellow color like straw; straw colored; noun a thin paper or plastic tube used to such liquids into the mouth; plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder; a yellow tint; yellow diluted with white; material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds; verb cover or provide with or as if with straw; spread by scattering ("straw" is archaic)

stress fracture - noun fracture resulting from excessive activity rather than a specific injury

stretcher - noun a litter for transporting people who are ill or wounded or dead; usually consists of a sheet of canvas stretched between two poles; a mechanical device used to make something larger (as shoes or gloves) by stretching it; a wooden framework on which canvas is stretched and fixed for oil painting; a stone that forms the top of wall or building

stripper - noun a performer who provides erotic entertainment by undressing to music; a worker who strips the stems from moistened tobacco leaves and binds the leaves together into books; a chemical compound used to remove paint or varnish; an oil well whose production has declined to less than ten barrels a day

stroboscope - noun scientific instrument that provides a flashing light synchronized with the periodic movement of an object; can make moving object appear stationary

stroke - noun a light touch with the hands; a single complete movement; (sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand; any one of the repeated movements of the limbs and body used for locomotion in swimming or rowing; a mark made by a writing implement (as in cursive writing); a light touch; the oarsman nearest the stern of the shell who sets the pace for the rest of the crew; a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain; a punctuation mark (/) used to separate related items of information; the maximum movement available to a pivoted or reciprocating piece by a cam; verb treat gingerly or carefully; strike a ball with a smooth blow; row at a particular rate; touch lightly and with affection, with brushing motions

structure - noun a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; the manner of construction of something and the arrangement of its parts; a particular complex anatomical part; the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations; the people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships; verb give a structure to

subluxation - noun partial displacement of a joint or organ

sulfapyridine - noun sulfa drug derived from pyridine and sulfanilamide

sulindac - noun a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (trade name Clinoril)

surfactant - noun a substance capable of reducing the surface tension of a liquid in which it is dissolved

surgeon - noun a physician who specializes in surgery

surgery - noun a room where a doctor or dentist can be consulted; the branch of medical science that treats disease or injury by operative procedures; a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body; a room in a hospital equipped for the performance of surgical operations

suriname - noun a republic in northeastern South America on the Atlantic; achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1975

surveillance - noun close observation of a person or group (usually by the police)

suture - noun thread of catgut or silk or wire used by surgeons to stitch tissues together; a seam used in surgery; an immovable joint (especially between the bones of the skull); verb join with a suture

sweating sickness - noun epidemic in the 15th and 16th centuries and characterized by profuse sweating and high mortality; a disease of cattle (especially calves)

sweden - noun a Scandinavian kingdom in the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula

swine influenza - noun an acute and highly contagious respiratory disease of swine caused by the orthomyxovirus thought to be the same virus that caused the 1918 influenza pandemic

sydney - noun the largest Australian city located in southeastern Australia on the Tasman Sea; state capital of New South Wales; Australia's chief port

symptom - noun anything that accompanies X and is regarded as an indication of X's existence; (medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease

syndrome - noun a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease

syringe - noun a medical instrument used to inject or withdraw fluids; verb spray or irrigate (a body part) with a syringe

tabes dorsalis - noun syphilis of the spinal cord characterized by degeneration of sensory neurons and stabbing pains in the trunk and legs and unsteady gait and incontinence and impotence

tacamahac - noun poplar of northeastern North America with broad heart-shaped leaves

taiwan - noun an island in southeastern Asia 100 miles off the coast of mainland China in the South China Sea; a government on the island of Taiwan established in 1949 by Chiang Kai-shek after the conquest of mainland China by the communists led by Mao Zedong

tamoxifen - noun an antagonist for estrogen that is used in the treatment of breast cancer

tamponade - noun blockage or closure (as of a wound or body cavity) by (or as if by) a tampon (especially to stop bleeding)

tanner - noun a craftsman who tans skins and hides; a small coin of the United Kingdom worth six pennies; not minted since 1970

tantalum - noun a hard grey lustrous metallic element that is highly resistant to corrosion; occurs in niobite and fergusonite and tantalite

taoism - noun philosophical system developed by of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events; popular Chinese philosophical system based in teachings of Lao-tzu but characterized by a pantheism of many gods and the practices of alchemy and divination and magic; religion adhering to the teaching of Lao-tzu; a Chinese sect claiming to follow the teaching of Lao-tzu but incorporating pantheism and sorcery in addition to Taoism

tapotement - noun massage in which the body is tapped rhythmically with the fingers or with short rapid movements of the sides of the hand; used to loosen mucus on the chest walls of patients with bronchitis

tardive - adj. late-occurring (especially with reference to symptoms of a disease)

taylor - noun 12th President of the United States; died in office (1784-1850); United States film actress (born in England) who was a childhood star; as an adult she often co-starred with Richard Burton (born in 1932); United States composer and music critic (1885-1966)

teat - noun the small projection of a mammary gland

technetium - noun a crystalline metallic element not found in nature; occurs as one of the fission products of uranium

technology - noun the practical application of science to commerce or industry; the discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems

teller - noun an employee of a bank who receives and pays out money; an official appointed to count the votes (especially in legislative assembly); United States physicist (born in Hungary) who worked on the first atom bomb and the first hydrogen bomb (1908-2003); someone who tells a story

tenderness - noun a tendency to express warm and affectionate feeling; warm compassionate feelings; a pain that is felt (as when the area is touched); a feeling of concern for the welfare of someone (especially someone defenseless); a positive feeling of liking

tenonitis - noun inflammation of a tendon

tentacle - noun any of various elongated tactile or prehensile flexible organs that occur on the head or near the mouth in many animals; used for feeling or grasping or locomotion; something that acts like a tentacle in its ability to grasp and hold

terra incognita - noun an unknown and unexplored region

terra sigillata - noun earthenware made from the reddish-brown clay found on the Aegean island of Lemnos

test - noun the act of testing something; the act of undergoing testing; any standardized procedure for measuring sensitivity or memory or intelligence or aptitude or personality etc; a hard outer covering as of some amoebas and sea urchins; trying something to find out about it; a set of questions or exercises evaluating skill or knowledge; verb undergo a test; determine the presence or properties of (a substance); achieve a certain score or rating on a test; put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; show a certain characteristic when tested; examine someone's knowledge of something; test or examine for the presence of disease or infection

tetracycline - noun an antibiotic (trade name Achromycin) derived from microorganisms of the genus Streptomyces and used broadly to treat infections

thalidomide - noun a sedative and hypnotic drug; withdrawn from sale after discovered to cause severe birth defects because it inhibits angiogenesis

thanatology - noun the branch of science that studies death (especially its social and psychological aspects)

theca - noun outer sheath of the pupa of certain insects; a case or sheath especially a pollen sac or moss capsule

therapeutics - noun branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disease

therapy - noun (medicine) the act of caring for someone (as by medication or remedial training etc.)

thioridazine - noun a tranquilizer (trade name Mellaril) used to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

thoracentesis - noun removal of fluid from the chest by centesis for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes

thorax - noun part of an insect's body that bears the wings and legs; the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates; the middle region of the body of an arthropod between the head and the abdomen

throat - noun a passage resembling a throat in shape or function; an opening in the vamp of a shoe at the instep; the passage to the stomach and lungs; in the front part of the neck below the chin and above the collarbone

thyroid gland - noun located near the base of the neck

ticonderoga - noun a pitched battle in which American revolutionary troops captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British in 1775

time - noun the continuum of experience in which events pass from the future through the present to the past; a person's experience on a particular occasion; an instance or single occasion for some event; an indefinite period (usually marked by specific attributes or activities); a suitable moment; a period of time considered as a resource under your control and sufficient to accomplish something; rhythm as given by division into parts of equal duration; the time as given by a clock; the fourth coordinate that is required (along with three spatial dimensions) to specify a physical event; the period of time a prisoner is imprisoned; verb adjust so that a force is applied and an action occurs at the desired time; regulate or set the time of; assign a time for an activity or event; set the speed, duration, or execution of; measure the time or duration of an event or action or the person who performs an action in a certain period of time

tissue typing - noun a series of diagnostic tests before an organ transplant to determine whether the tissues of a donor and recipient are compatible

titanium - noun a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite

tolazoline - noun vasodilator that is used to treat spasms of peripheral blood vessels (as in acrocyanosis)

tomentum - noun a network of tiny blood vessels between the cerebral surface of the pia mater and the cerebral cortex; filamentous hairlike growth on a plant

tongue depressor - noun a thin depressor used to press the tongue down during an examination of the mouth and throat

tool - noun an implement used in the practice of a vocation; the means whereby some act is accomplished; obscene terms for penis; a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else; verb work with a tool; drive; furnish with tools; ride in a car with no particular goal and just for the pleasure of it

tooth - noun a means of enforcement; toothlike structure in invertebrates found in the mouth or alimentary canal or on a shell; something resembling the tooth of an animal; one of a number of uniform projections on a gear; hard bonelike structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing or for attack and defense

tooth enamel - noun hard white substance covering the crown of a tooth

tophus - noun a deposit of urates around a joint or in the external ear; diagnostic of advanced or chronic gout; an incrustation that forms on the teeth and gums

toronto - noun the provincial capital and largest city in Ontario (and the largest city in Canada)

torture - noun the deliberate, systematic, or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons in an attempt to force another person to yield information or to make a confession or for any other reason; unbearable physical pain; the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean; intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain; extreme mental distress; verb subject to torture; torment emotionally or mentally

tourniquet - noun bandage that stops the flow of blood from an artery by applying pressure

toxicology - noun the branch of pharmacology that deals with the nature and effects and treatments of poisons

transdermal - adj. through the unbroken skin; refers to medications applied directly to the skin (creams or ointments) or in time-release forms (skin patches)

transgender - adj. involving a partial or full reversal of gender

trephine - noun a surgical instrument used to remove sections of bone from the skull; verb operate on with a trephine

triage - noun sorting and allocating aid on the basis of need for or likely benefit from medical treatment or food

trichinella spiralis - noun parasitic nematode occurring in the intestines of pigs and rats and human beings and producing larvae that form cysts in skeletal muscles

trichinosis - noun infestation by trichina larvae that are transmitted by eating inadequately cooked meat (especially pork); larvae migrate from the intestinal tract to the muscles where they become encysted

trigeminal nerve - noun the main sensory nerve of the face and motor nerve for the muscles of mastication

truss - noun a framework of beams (rafters, posts, struts) forming a rigid structure that supports a roof or bridge or other structure; (medicine) a bandage consisting of a pad and belt; worn to hold a hernia in place by pressure; (architecture) a triangular bracket of brick or stone (usually of slight extent); verb support structurally; tie the wings and legs of a bird before cooking it; secure with or as if with ropes

tubercle - noun a swelling that is the characteristic lesion of tuberculosis; a protuberance on a bone especially for attachment of a muscle or ligament; small rounded wartlike protuberance on a plant

tympanites - noun distension of the abdomen that is caused by the accumulation of gas in the intestines or the peritoneal cavity

ulcer - noun a circumscribed inflammatory and often suppurating lesion on the skin or an internal mucous surface resulting in necrosis of tissue

united kingdom - noun a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland

united states - noun North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776; the executive and legislative and judicial branches of the federal government of the United States

united states army - noun the army of the United States of America; the agency that organizes and trains soldiers for land warfare

uplift - noun a brassiere that lifts and supports the breasts; (geology) a rise of land to a higher elevation (as in the process of mountain building); verb lift up or elevate; lift up from the earth, as by geologic forces; fill with high spirits; fill with optimism

ureteritis - noun inflammation of the ureter

urinal - noun a plumbing fixture (usually attached to the wall) used by men to urinate

urinary bladder - noun a membranous sac for temporary retention of urine

vaccine - noun immunogen consisting of a suspension of weakened or dead pathogenic cells injected in order to stimulate the production of antibodies

vacuolization - noun the state of having become filled with vacuoles

validation - noun the act of validating; finding or testing the truth of something; the cognitive process of establishing a valid proof

vapours - noun a state of depression

variegation - noun variability in coloration; the act of introducing variety (especially in investments or in the variety of goods and services offered)

vasomotor - adj. relating to the nerves and muscles that cause the blood vessels to constrict or dilate

vegetation - noun inactivity that is passive and monotonous, comparable to the inactivity of plant life; an abnormal growth or excrescence (especially a warty excrescence on the valves of the heart); all the plant life in a particular region or period; the process of growth in plants

venography - noun roentgenographic examination of veins

vertex - noun the point of intersection of lines or the point opposite the base of a figure; the highest point (of something)

vesicle - noun a small anatomically normal sac or bladderlike structure (especially one containing fluid)

veterinarian - noun a doctor who practices veterinary medicine

veterinary medicine - noun the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of animals (especially domestic animals)

victor herbert - noun United States musician and composer and conductor noted for his comic operas (1859-1924)

vinegar - noun sour-tasting liquid produced usually by oxidation of the alcohol in wine or cider and used as a condiment or food preservative; dilute acetic acid

virginia woolf - noun English author whose work used such techniques as stream of consciousness and the interior monologue; prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group (1882-1941)

virus - noun (virology) ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein; a software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer; a harmful or corrupting agency

vital statistics - noun data relating to births and deaths and health and diseases and marriages

voyager - noun a traveler to a distant land (especially one who travels by sea)

wellness - noun a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease

whistleblower - noun an informant who exposes wrongdoing within an organization in the hope of stopping it

willem einthoven - noun Dutch physiologist who devised the first electrocardiograph (1860-1927)

wingspan - noun linear distance between the extremities of an airfoil

witch hazel - noun lotion consisting of an astringent alcoholic solution containing an extract from the witch hazel plant; any of several shrubs or trees of the genus Hamamelis; bark yields an astringent lotion

withdrawal - noun the act of withdrawing; the termination of drug taking; the act of taking out money or other capital; a retraction of a previously held position; avoiding emotional involvement; formal separation from an alliance or federation

x-ray - noun a radiogram made by exposing photographic film to X rays; used in medical diagnosis; electromagnetic radiation of short wavelength produced when high-speed electrons strike a solid target; verb take an x-ray of something or somebody; examine by taking x-rays

xanthopsia - noun visual defect in which objects appear to have a yellowish hue; sometimes occurs in cases of jaundice

xanthosis - noun an abnormal yellow discoloration of the skin

xenotransplantation - noun a surgical procedure in which tissue or whole organs are transfered from one species to another species

xeroderma - noun a mild form of ichthyosis characterized by abnormal dryness and roughness of the skin

xeroradiography - noun radiography using X-rays and xerographic (rather than roentgenographic) techniques

xerostomia - noun abnormal dryness of the mouth resulting from decreased secretion of saliva

xian - noun a city of central China; capital of ancient Chinese empire 221-206 BC

yellow flag - noun common yellow-flowered iris of Europe and North Africa, naturalized in United States and often cultivated

zebra - noun any of several fleet black-and-white striped African equines

zero hour - noun the time set for the start of an action or operation

zirconium dioxide - noun a white crystalline oxide; used in refractories and in insulation and abrasives and enamels and glazes

zoologist - noun a specialist in the branch of biology dealing with animals

zoology - noun the branch of biology that studies animals; all the animal life in a particular region or period

zoonosis - noun an animal disease that can be transmitted to humans

zoophobia - noun a morbid fear of animals

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