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
ethoxazene hydrochloride
a local analgesic used to relieve pain associated with urinary tract infections, administered orally.
Word of the Day Archive
contact laxative
a laxative that increases the motor activity of the intestinal tract; the precise mechanism of action of contact laxatives is unknown, but they produce an accumulation of fluid and electrolytes in the colon and are thought to increase peristalsis by stimulating intramural nerve plexuses. Called also stimulant l.
macropolycyte
a large polymorphonuclear leukocyte with 6 to 14 lobes in the nucleus, seen in conditions such as pancytopenia, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, and intoxications involving neutrophilic leukocytosis.
central nystagmus
a jerk nystagmus due to a lesion somewhere in the neurologic pathways regulating gaze.
orchella
a histologic stain composed of 5 mL of acetic acid and 40 mL each of alcohol and water, colored to a dark red with archil from which excess of ammonia has been driven off.
persistent müllerian duct syndrome
a hereditary syndrome in males of persistence of müllerian structures in addition to male genital ducts, with undescended testes and bilateral uterine tubes, a uterus, and an upper vagina. There may be cryptorchidism on just one side with a contralateral inguinal hernia that contains a testis, uterus, and uterine tube (hernia uteri inguinalis).
cytochrome-c oxidase deficiency
a hereditary defect in the cytochrome-c oxidase complex that prevents the transfer of electrons from cytochrome c to molecular oxygen, ultimately halting the production of ATP. Manifestations are extremely variable and include myopathies, encephalopathies, ocular and cardiac defects, sensorineural deafness, Fanconi syndrome, diabetes mellitus, and short stature. Inheritance may be autosomal recessive, X-linked, or, possibly, maternal (mitochondrial), depending on the part of the cytochrome-c oxidase complex that is affected.
headgear
a harnesslike device fitting over the top and back of the head, serving as a source of resistance for extraoral anchorage for an orthodontic appliance. Called also headcap.