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Dictionary of Medical Terms

Gain a better understanding of medical terminology by searching our dictionary of more than 1,300 terms.

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  • iris

    The colored portion of the eye. It’s a muscle that controls the amount of light entering the pupil.

  • iritis

    Inflammation of the iris.

  • irrigation

    Washing of a body cavity or wound with a stream of water.

  • ischemia

    A lack of blood supply to a body part.

  • IUD

    Intrauterine device. Used for contraception.

  • IV

    Intravenous.

  • IVP

    Intravenous pyelography.

  • jaundice

    Yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes caused by the buildup of bile in the blood.

  • jejunum

    The middle part of the small intestine, located between the duodenum and ileum.

  • joint

    The joining of two or more bones. In general, joints allow flexibility and mobility. However, some joints (for example, those…

  • jugular

    Of the neck or throat, as in jugular veins.

  • Kaposi's sarcoma

    Bluish-purple nodules of the skin that often bleed. These frequently occur in people who have AIDS.

  • keloid

    Excessive growth of scar tissue on the skin.

  • keratin

    The main protein of skin, hair and nails.

  • keratitis

    Inflammation of the cornea of the eye.

  • keratoconus

    A deformity of the cornea in which the cornea resembles the end of a football.

  • ketones

    The initial breakdown products of fatty acid metabolism. Unavailability of carbohydrates from starvation or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus increases the production…

  • kidney

    A pair of organs in the upper abdominal cavity that separate the body’s water and waste products from the blood…

  • knee

    The complex hinge joint of the upper and lower leg involving the femur, tibia and patella.

  • knock-knee

    A deformity in which the knees rub together or touch each other in walking.

  • labia

    Lip-shaped structures; often used to describe the outer folds of the female genitalia.

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