MedicalVocabulary.org
Medical vocabulary with 16,436 clear, complete and reliable definitions.
About MedicalVocabulary.org
The most complete online medical dictionary: 16,436 terms covering anatomy, physiology, pathologies, diagnostic exams, pharmacology and every clinical specialty.
Designed for 3 kinds of users:
- Patients and family who want to understand a diagnosis, a medical report or instructions from a doctor.
- Students of medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and the health professions, dealing with technical terminology.
- Doctors, pharmacists and healthcare workers who need a quick and reliable reference.
Definitions are written in clear, accessible language while keeping the rigor required for professional use. Each term has a dedicated URL, instant autocomplete search, and can be shared on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and via email with one click.
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Disclaimer: the content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. If you have doubts about your health, always consult a qualified professional. In case of emergency call your local emergency number (911 in the US, 112 in the EU).
Contraction
The tightening and shortening of a muscle
Read the definitionRandom terms
Show more- Signal transduction pathway The course by which a signal from outside a cell is converted to a functional change within the cell
- Psoriasis vulgaris The medical name for the most common form of psoriasis ('vulgaris' means common). About 80% of people with…
- Laryngotomy Surgical opening of the larynx, the voice box
- Flu vaccine Flu vaccine: The flu vaccination (influenza) is recommended for persons at high risk for serious…
- Phlebotomist A person who draws blood.
- Hypnic 1. Inducing sleep. 2. Pertaining to sleep. A hypnic jerk is a sleep start or jerk. From the Greek hypnikos…
- Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of lactate to pyruvate. This is an important step in energy…
- Atloaxoid joint The joint between the atlas and axis bones. The atlas is the first cervical (neck) vertebra which is just…
- Tension, arterial The pressure of the blood within an artery, the arterial pressure. Also called the intra-arterial pressure…
- Abortion, multiple Two or more miscarriages (spontaneous abortions) by a woman. Couples who have had multiple abortions have…
- Mitochondrial myopathy A group of neuromuscular diseases caused by damage to the mitochondria, energy-producing structures in cells…
- Cardiac aneurysm An outpouching of an abnormally thin portion of the heart wall. Cardiac aneurysms tend to involve the left…