Dictionary of Medical Terms

A woman’s first menstrual period.

A thin layer of tissue covering an organ.

Black-colored feces caused by the presence of blood.

Dark coloring of the skin often seen during pregnancy and at menopause. Also occurs in Addison’s disease.

A dark-colored tumor, especially malignant melanoma, that is a form of skin cancer that can spread from one part of…

A brownish-black pigment normally found in skin, hair and parts of the eye.

A mental state characterized by extreme sadness. A severe form of depression.

A type of gland of the eyelid’s inner surface. Inflammation of a meibomian gland can produce a swelling called a…

The part of the brain just above the spinal cord that includes the control centers for breathing, circulation and…

The inner part of an organ. The adrenal medulla is the center of the adrenal gland where epinephrine (adrenaline) is…

The tissues and organs located directly behind the sternum between the lungs. Contains the heart and its large vessels, the…

The nerve that stimulates some of the muscles of the hand and wrist.

The greenish fecal matter in a fetus, forming the first bowel movement of a newborn infant.

A sac that may form in the small intestine, present at birth.

A highly contagious viral disease occurring most frequently in childhood and characterized by small, red spots on the skin, high…

The pair of bones forming the upper jaw.

Sexual self-stimulation.

An infection of the mastoid bone that can cause redness, warmth, swelling and pain behind the ear, sometimes with drainage…

A bony, rounded projection of the skull located behind each ear.

Inflammation of the breast.

Surgical removal of the breast.