word

meaning example sentence

part of speech
abnormal This amount of weight loss is
not normal for the human body
adj abnormal for women your age.
ache I can't sleep because my knees
pain that won't go away
noun/verb ache in the night.
We knew the baby was coming
acute
quick to become severe/bad right away because the woman's
adj
labour pains were acute.
a body's abnormal reaction to certain
allergy noun Your son is extremely allergic to
foods or environmental substances
allergic adj peanuts.
(e.g. causes a rash)
ambulance emergency vehicle that rushes We called the ambulance when
noun people to a hospital Josh stopped breathing.
amnesia a condition that causes people to I can't remember the accident
noun lose their memory because I had amnesia.
We had to amputate his leg
amputation noun
permanent removal of a limb because the infection spread so
amputate verb
quickly.
anaemia noun occurs when the body doesn't have I have low energy because I am
anaemic adj enough red blood cells anaemic.
antibiotics medication that kills bacteria and My throat infection went away
noun cures infections after I started the antibiotics.
anti-depressant medication that helps relieve anxiety The anti-depressants helped me
noun and sadness get on with life after Lucy died.
I've made you an appointment
appointment a scheduled meeting with a medical
with a specialist in three week's
noun professional
time.
My grandmother can't knit
arthritis a disease that causes the joints to
anymore because the arthritis in
noun become swollen and crippled
her hands is so bad.
a condition that causes a blockage of
asthma (attack) I carry an inhaler when I run
the airway and makes it difficult for
noun because I have asthma.
a person to breathe
To prevent the spread of
bacteria
a disease-causing organism bacteria it is important that
noun
nurses wash their hands often.
wounds that develop on a patient's If you don't get up and take a
bedsore
body from lying in one place for too walk, you will develop painful
noun
long bedsores.
 We're hoping that the tests will
benign
not harmful (not cancerous) show that the lump in your breast
adj
is benign.
biopsy removal of human tissue in order to The biopsy ruled out a number
noun conduct certain medical tests of illnesses.
You will be happy to know that
blood count the amount of red and white blood
your blood count is almost back
noun cells a person has
to normal.
Blood donors have to answer
blood donor a person who gives blood to a blood
questions about their medical
noun bank or other person
history.
blood pressure the rate at which blood flows High blood pressure puts you at
noun through the body (high/low) risk of having a heart attack.
You will probably always have
brace a device that holds injured body
to wear a brace on your ankle
noun parts in place
when you jog.
We thought it was going to be a
breech position of an unborn baby in which
breech birth, but the baby turned
adj the feet are down and the head is up
himself around.
We thought it was just a sprain,
broken a bone that is divided in two or more
but it turned out his leg was
adj pieces as a result of an injury
broken.
The woman was badly bruised
bruise noun injured body tissue that is visible
when she came into the
bruised adj underneath the skin
emergency room.
procedure that involves removing a
Caesarean section, C- The baby was so large that we
baby from its mother through an
section had to perform a Caesarean
incision in the woman's lower
noun section.
abdomen
cancer disease caused by the uncontrollable There are many different options
noun growth of cells when it comes to treating cancer.
cardiopulmonary
restoring a person's breath and You saved your brother's life by
resuscitation (CPR)
circulation performing CPR.
noun
a hard bandage that is wrapped
cast My leg was in a cast for
around a broken bone to keep it in
noun graduation.
place
a place where loved ones can go to
chapel, chapeline pray for a patient's recovery; If you want a place to pray, the
noun a priest who visits patients in the chapel is on the third floor.
hospital
chemotherapy type of treatment used on cancer My mother has already had three
noun patients rounds of chemotherapy.
a virus commonly contracted by It is best to get chickenpox as a
chickenpox
children, characterized by itchy child so that you don't get it
noun
spots all over the body worse as an adult.
coroner a person who determines the cause We only call the coroner if we
noun of death after a person dies think a death is suspicious.
critical condition requiring immediate and constant You can't see her right now; she's
noun medical attention in critical condition.
crutches objects that people with injured legs I'd rather hop on one foot than
noun or feet use to help them walk use crutches.
cyst a sac in the body-tissue filled with We're going to remove the cysts
noun fluid (sometimes diseased) just to be on the safe side.
deaf The accident left the patient both
unable to hear
adj deaf and blind.
deficiency a lack of something necessary for The tests show that you have an
noun one's health iron deficiency.
dehydrated It is easy for the elderly to
in need of water
adj become dehydrated in this heat.
dementia It is hard to watch a loved one
loss of mental capacity
noun suffering with dementia.
People with diabetes have to
diabetes type of disease typically involving
constantly check their blood
noun insulin deficiency
sugar levels.
The doctor would prefer to share
diagnosis medical explanation of an illness or
the diagnosis with the patient
noun condition
himself.
discomfort This pain medication should
experiencing pain
noun relieve some of your discomfort.
disease a medical disorder that is harmful to I understand that this disease
noun a person's health runs in your family.
You will have to wear a sling
dislocated when a bone is temporarily
because of your dislocated
adj separated from its joint
shoulder.
It is important that children know
emergency a medical problem that needs
which number to dial in case of
noun immediate attention
an emergency.
the hospital room used for treating The child was rushed into the ER
ER (emergency room)
patients with immediate and life- after he had a severe allergic
noun
threatening injuries reaction to a bee sting.
 This cream is for external use
external
on the outside only. Do not get it near your
adj
ears, eyes, or mouth.
false negative We had two false negative
a test that incorrectly comes back
noun pregnancy tests, so we didn't
negative
adj know we were having a baby.
The doctor was concerned about
family history medical background of a person's
my family history of skin
noun family members
cancer.
The doctor made a fatal error
fatal
causing death when he wrote the wrong
adj
prescription.
fever noun higher than normal body He is very feverish, and his
feverish adj temperature temperature is near danger point.
many types of respiratory or
flu (influenza) People who have the flu should
intestinal infections passed on
noun not visit hospital patients.
through a virus
fracture noun Your wrist is fractured and
broken or cracked bone
fractured adj needs a cast.
Flowers are not allowed in the
germ a micro-organism, especially one
ward to avoid the risk of germs
noun that causes disease
being brought in.
a medical condition or physical
genetic The disease is part genetic and
feature that is passed on in the
adj part environmental.
family
a ball of tissue that grows bigger
growth That growth on your shoulder is
than normal, either on or under the
noun starting to worry me.
skin
heart attack instance in which blood stops People who smoke are at greater
noun pumping through the heart risk of having a heart attack.
HIV the virus that infects the human T- HIV can be passed down from
noun cells and leads to AIDS the mother to her fetus.
hives bumps that appear on the surface of I broke out in hives after I ate
noun the skin during an allergic reaction that potato casserole.
general term for any condition that
illness noun Her illness went away when she
makes a person feel sick for a certain
ill adj started eating better.
period of time
immune system the parts of the body that fight You can't have visitors because
noun diseases, infections, and viruses your immune system is low.
immunization noun an injection that protects against a Babies are immunized three
immunize verb specific disease times in their first year.
incision I had to have stitches to close the
cut in the body made during surgery
noun incision.
We have to do more x-rays
inconclusive
unclear because the first ones were
adj
inconclusive.
infant The nurse will demonstrate how
young baby
noun to bathe an infant.
The wound should be covered
infection noun diseased area of the body (viral or
when you swim to prevent it
infected adj bacterial)
from becoming infected.
My right ankle was so inflamed
inflamed appearance (red and swollen) of an
it was twice the size of my left
adj injured body part
one.
injury Her injuries were minor; just a
damage to the body
noun few cuts and bruises.
section of the hospital where
intensive care unit
patients get constant attention and She will remain in the ICU until
(ICU)
doctors rely on specialized she can breathe on her own.
noun
equipment
internal The doctors will be monitoring
under the skin, inside the organs
adj her for any internal bleeding.
If you are allergic to this
itchy feeling discomfort on the skin's
medication your skin will get red
adj surface
and itchy.
The toddler was so dehydrated
IV a tube that pumps liquids and
that the doctor decided to get him
noun medication into a patient's body
on an IV.
lab results tests that come back from a laboratory The lab results have come in and
noun and help doctors make a diagnosis you are free to go home.
lab (laboratory) place where samples of blood/urine etc. I'll take these samples down to the
noun are taken for testing lab on my way out.
The woman has severe brain
life support a machine that keeps patients alive by
damage and is currently on life
noun helping them breathe
support.
The victim was shot in two places
life-threatening when injuries and conditions are
but the bullet wounds are not life-
adj extremely serious
threatening.
feeling of dizziness and being off-
light-headed If you are feeling light-headed
balance, caused by lack of oxygen in the
adj again, lie down and call me.
brain
malignant expected to grow and get much worse I'm afraid at least one of the
adj (especially related to cancerous cells) tumours is malignant.
medical school
place where someone trains to be a After eight years of medical school
(med. school)
doctor I can finally practice medicine.
noun
newborn an infant that is less than three months You have to support her neck
noun old because she is still a newborn.
numb The needle will make your lower
no feeling in a certain body part
adj body feel numb.
OR (operating
the place where major surgeries and You must wear a face mask and
room)
operations take place gloves while you are in the OR.
noun
a medical procedure that involves going
operation noun The operation lasted seven hours,
inside a person's body in an attempt to
operate on verb but it was successful.
fix a problem
We gave your husband some
pain strong discomfort in certain areas of the
medicine to relieve some of the
noun body
pain.
pain killer, pain type of medicine that takes away some
You can take two pain killers
reliever or all of the discomfort of an illness or
every four hours.
noun injury
We thought her legs were
paralyzed
unable to move certain areas of the body paralyzed for life, but she is
adj
learning how to walk.
patient a person staying in a hospital or medical The patients in Room 4 are not
noun facility getting along.
a person who fills a doctor's prescription
pharmacist Ask the pharmacist if there is a
and gives people advice about
noun generic brand of this medication.
medication
pharmacy,
a place where people go to buy You should be able to buy a
drugstore
medication and other medical supplies bandage at the pharmacy.
noun
physician Ask your family physician to refer
doctor
noun you to a specialist.
poison noun a substance that is very dangerous if it The child was bitten by a
poisonous adj enters the human body poisonous snake.
The woman was well prepared for
prenatal of the time period leading up to giving
labour because she took the
adj birth
prenatal classes.
prescription the correct amount and type of
You will need to visit your doctor
noun medication needed to cure an illness or
to get another prescription.
prescribe verb relieve symptoms
You will have to pay for a private
privacy noun
being alone; personal (e.g. test results) hospital room if you don't want a
private adj
room-mate.
 If the radiation doesn't kill all of
radiation high energy X-rays that destroy cancer
the abnormal cells, the cancer will
noun cells
come back.
residency part of a doctor's training that takes place
resident in the hospital; John is a resident under Dr Brown.
noun a student working under a doctor
routine check-
a doctor's appointment to check a I'd like to see you a year from now
up
person's general health for a routine check-up.
noun
scrubs plain uniform (usually green, white, or I have some extra scrubs in my
noun blue) worn by medical professionals locker.
scrub up carefully wash hands before and after I have to scrub up and get ready
verb seeing a patient for surgery.
I went to another doctor to get a
second opinion input from a second doctor about an
second opinion about these
noun illness or symptom
headaches.
sudden violent movements or
seizure People who suffer from epilepsy
unconsciousness caused by electrical
noun are prone to seizures.
signal malfunction in the brain
shock The woman was in shock after
body not getting enough blood flow
noun being pulled from the river.
other symptoms that might occur as a
side effects One of the side effects of
result of a certain medication or
noun antidepressants is a loss of appetite.
procedure
sore I have a sore throat and a runny
painful
adj nose.
Ever since I injured my leg I've
spasm
the uncontrollable tightening of a muscle been having muscle spasms in my
noun
upper thigh.
specialist a doctor that is an expert in a certain My family doctor is sending me to
noun kind of medicine a specialist.
sprain an injury (less serious than a break) to a
I sprained my knee playing soccer.
noun/verb joint (ankle, wrist, knee etc)
stable condition a patient is stable if their medical You can see your husband now; he
noun condition is no longer changing rapidly is in a stable condition.
sting It may sting when I insert the
sharp, temporary pain
noun/verb needle.
You need to take some time off
stress noun worry that causes muscles to tighten and
work and relieve some of your
stressed adj blood pressure to rise
stress.
ligaments (parts that hold the joints
swelling noun I knew my ankle was sprained
together) growing bigger and rounder
swollen adj because it was so swollen.
after an injury to a joint
symptoms pain or physical changes that occur You have all of the symptoms of a
noun because of an illness or disease diabetic.
We brought Jesse to emergency
temperature amount of heat measured in a body;
because he was running a (high)
noun higher than normal temperature
temperature.
tender The incision was tender after the
painful when touched or used
adj surgery.
test results medical information that helps doctors The test results came back
noun understand a patient's condition or body negative. You aren't pregnant.
therapy treatment aimed at improving a person's I was able to go back to work a few
noun mental or physical condition weeks after starting the therapy.
transplant moving of an organ from one human to The heart transplant saved your
noun another life.
a test that examines the body's internal
ultrasound The ultrasound shows that we are
organs and processes using sound waves
noun expecting a baby boy.
(often used during pregnancies)
the lifeline from the mother to the fetus I had an emergency C-section
umbilical cord
(when cut at birth this forms the belly because the umbilical cord was
noun
button) wrapped around the baby's neck.
I hit my head on the steering wheel
unconscious alive, but appearing to be asleep and
and was still unconscious when the
adj unaware of the surroundings
ambulance arrived.
a small amount of the body's liquid
urine sample The urine sample tells us how
waste that is tested for different medical
noun much alcohol is in your blood.
reasons
vein the thin tubes that transport blood around I'm just looking for the best vein in
noun the body and back to the heart which to insert the needle.
virus a dangerous organism that causes the The virus is contractable through
noun spread of minor and major diseases the exchange of bodily fluids.
visiting hours time of day when friends and family are I'm afraid you'll have to come back
noun allowed to visit patients in hospital during visiting hours.
vomit discharge of a person stomach contents The pregnant woman can't stop
noun/verb through the mouth vomiting.
ward a section of a hospital or health facility I should warn you that we're
noun where patients stay entering the mental health ward.
wheelchair a chair on wheels used for transporting If you get in the wheelchair I'll
noun patients from place to place take you down to see the garden.
wound noun injury to body ("flesh wound" means not The wounded soldiers are being
wounded adj deep) airlifted to the hospital.
The technician took x-rays of my
x-ray a photograph of a person's bones and
shoulder to make sure it wasn't
noun/verb organs
broken.