Word Of The Day

Dorland's Word of the Day is a great way to broaden your knowledge of medical terminology. With a new and interesting term brought to you from the 32nd edition of Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary each day, it's an easy and fun way to increase your medical vocabulary!

You can view a new word on this website each day.

Today's Word

Brevibacillus brevis

a bacterial species that is the source of the antibiotics gramicidin and tyrocidine. It is also a rare cause of food poisoning and keratitis.

Word of the Day Archive

Western blot

a method used for analysis and identification of specific proteins, obtained by transferring proteins separated electrophoretically to a nitrocellulose membrane or other immobilizing matrix, followed by overlaying the matrix first with antibody against the protein of interest, then with labeled antibody against the first antibody.

Krause end-bulb

a type of small, spherical, encapsulated nerve ending found particularly in the dermis, lips, mouth, and conjunctiva; thought to function as a rapidly adapting mechanoreceptor.

Eustrongylides

a genus of nematodes of the family Dioctophymidae; larvae are parasitic in fish, and adults parasitize fish-eating birds. Human infection can result from the consumption of raw fish; worms may reach 30 cm in length and penetrate the intestinal wall to invade the peritoneal cavity, causing peritonitis, abdominal pain, and fever.

central slip

the part of the extensor tendon of a finger that inserts into the middle phalanx.

hypogonadotropic amenorrhea

a type of amenorrhea caused by failure to maintain a critical body fat-to-lean ratio, resulting in hypothalamic suppression; seen most often in women who engage in strenuous exercise, such as athletes, dancers, and those who are excessively weight conscious.

Simkania negevensis

a bacterial species that is associated with human respiratory disease.

chronic functional abdominal pain

a type of abdominal pain that may be severe, lasts for more than six months, and has no known physical cause (not being accompanied by change in bowel habits); causes proposed include psychogenic causes and abnormal sensitivity to nerve impulses in the region.