Enter a word or phrase below to search our online dictionary of over 1,300 general medical terms, or click on a letter of the alphabet to view all terms beginning with that letter:
Search for 'N'
| Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| narcissistic | Self-centered, being "in love" with oneself. |
| narcolepsy | Frequent and uncontrolled desire for sleep. |
| nausea | A feeling of sickness in the stomach, sometimes followed by the urge to vomit. |
| nebulizer | A device that produces a very fine vapor to be inhaled. |
| necrosis | Death of a cell or tissue. |
| nematode | A roundworm that may infest the digestive tract of humans. |
| neoplasm | A new growth, tumor. |
| nephrectomy | Surgical removal of a kidney. |
| nephritis | Inflammation of a kidney. |
| nephropathy | Disease of the kidneys. Swelling or breakdown of the kidney. |
| nephrosis | A disease of the kidney that causes malfunction but no inflammation. Also called nephrotic syndrome. |
| nerve | A cord-like structure made up of special tissue for carrying electrical impulses from one part of the body to another. |
| neuralgia | Pain along the course of a nerve. |
| neuritis | Inflammation of a nerve. |
| neurofibromatosis | An inherited disorder that causes dark spots on the skin and tumors of the skin, peripheral, optic and acoustic nerves. |
| neurology | The branch of medicine that pertains to the nervous system. |
| neuroma | A benign but sometimes painful tumor growing on a nerve. |
| neuron | A nerve cell. |
| neuropathy | Disease of the nervous system or of an individual nerve. |
| neurosis | An emotional disorder that can interfere with a person's ability to lead a normal life. |
| neutrophil | A mature white blood cell with a three- to five-lobed nucleus. |
| nevus | A mole or other colored spot on the skin. |
| nicotine | A highly toxic and addictive component of tobacco. While the amounts obtained from smoking may not be enough to be immediately fatal, there's a cause-and-effect relationship to heart disease. |
| night blindness | A reduced ability to see in dim light. May be caused by a vitamin-A deficiency or glaucoma. |
| nit | The egg of a louse. |
| nocturia | Excessive urination at night. |
| node | A swelling, knot or knob. |
| nonunion | Failure of the ends of a broken bone to mend. |
| norepinephrine | A hormone produced by the adrenal medulla and certain sympathetic nerve fibers. |
| nosocomial | Having to do with the hospital. For example, an nosocomial infection is one that's acquired during hospitalization. |