Appendix B

Nursing Terminology

• abduction – movement away from the midline
• abraded – scraped
• acetonuria – acetone in the urine
• adduction – movement toward the midline
• afebrile – without fever
• albuminuria – albumin in the urine
• ambulatory – walking
• amenorrhea – absence of menstruation
• amnesia – loss of or defective memory
• ankylosis – stiff joint
• anorexia – loss of appetite
• anuria – total suppression of urination
• apnea – short periods when breathing has ceased
• arthritis – inflammation of joint
• asphyxia – suffocation
• atrophy – wasting
• auscultation, auscultate – to listen for sounds
• bradycardia – heart rate lower than 60 beats per minute
• Cheyne-Stokes respirations – increasing dyspnea with periods of apnea
• choluria – bile in the urine
• clonic tremor – shaking with intervals of rest
• conjunctivitis – inflammation of conjunctiva
• coryza – watery drainage from nose
• cyanotic – bluish in color due to poor oxygenation
• defecation – bowel movement
• dental caries – decay of the teeth
• dentures – false teeth
• diarrhea – excessive or frequent defecation
• diplopia – double vision
• distended – appears swollen
• diuresis – large amount of urine voided
• dorsal recumbent – lying on back, knees flexed and apart
• dysmenorrhea – painful menstruation
• dyspnea – difficulty breathing
• dysrhythmia, arrhythmia – abnormal heartbeat
• dysuria – painful urination
• edematous – puffy, swollen
• emaciated – thin, underweight
• emetic – agent given to produce vomiting
• enuresis – bed-wetting
• epistaxis – nosebleed
• eructation – belching
• erythema – redness
• eupnea – normal breathing
• excoriation – raw surface
• exophthalmos – abnormal protrusion of eyeball
• extension, extend – to straighten
• fatigued – tired
• feigned – pretended
• fetid – foul
• fixed – motionless
• flaccid – soft, flabby
• flatus, flatulence – expulsion of gas from the digestive tract
• flexion – bending
• flushed – pink or hot
• Fowler’s position – semierect, knees flexed, head of bed elevated 45–60 degrees
• gavage – forced feeding through a tube passed into the stomach
• glossy – shiny
• glycosuria – glucose in the urine
• gustatory – dealing with taste
• heliotherapy – using sunlight as a therapeutic agent
• hematemesis – blood in vomitus
• hematuria – blood in the urine
• hemiplegia – paralysis of one side of the body
• hemoglobinuria – hemoglobin in the urine
• hemoptysis – spitting of blood
• horizontal – flat
• hydrotherapy – using water as a therapeutic agent
• hyperpnea – rapid breathing
• hypertonic – concentration greater than body fluids
• hypotonic – concentration less than body fluids
• infrequent – not often
• insomnia – inability to sleep
• instillation – pouring into a body cavity
• intermittent – starting and stopping, not continuous
• intradermal – within or through the skin
• intramuscular – within or through the muscle
• intraspinal – within or through the spinal canal
• intravenous – within or through the vein
• involuntary, incontinent – unable to control bladder or bowels
• isotonic – having the same tonicity or concentration as body fluids
• jackknife position – prone with hips over break in table and feet below level of head
• jaundice – yellow color
• knee-chest position – in face-down position resting on knees and chest
• kyphosis – humpback, concavity of spine
• labored – difficult, requires an effort
• lacerated – torn, ragged edged
• lateral position – on the side, knees flexed
• lithotomy position – on the back, buttocks near edge of table, knees well flexed and separated
• lochia – drainage from the vagina after delivery
• lordosis – sway-back, convexity of spine
• manipulation, manipulate – to handle
• menopause – cessation of menstruation
• menorrhagia – profuse menstruation
• metrorrhagia – variable amount of uterine bleeding occurring frequently but at irregular intervals
• moist – wet
• monoplegia – paralysis of one limb
• mucopurulent – drainage containing mucus and pus
• mydriasis – dilation of pupil
• myopia – nearsightedness
• myosis – contraction of pupil
• nausea – desire to vomit
• necrosis – death of tissue
• nocturia – frequent voiding at night
• obese – overweight
• objective – able to be documented by other than observation
• oliguria – scant urination, less than 400 mL per 24 hours
• orthopnea – inability to breathe or difficulty breathing while lying down
• palliative – offering temporary relief
• pallor – white
• palpation, palpate – to feel with hands or fingers
• paraplegia – paralysis of legs
• paroxysm – spasm or convulsive seizure
• paroxysmal – coming in seizures
• pediculi – lice
• pediculosis – lice infestation
• percussion, percuss – to strike
• persistent – lasting over a long time
• petechia – small rupture of blood vessels
• photophobia – sensitive to light
• photosensitivity – skin reaction caused by exposure to sunlight
• pigmented – containing color
• polyuria – excessive voiding of urine
• profuse, copious – large amount
• projectile – ejected or projected some distance
• pronation – turning downward
• prone – on abdomen, face turned to one side
• prophylactic – preventative
• protruding – extending outward
• pruritus – itching
• ptosis – drooping eyelid
• purulent drainage – drainage containing pus
• pyrexia – elevated temperature
• pyuria – pus in the urine
• radiating – spreading to distant areas
• radiotherapy – using x-ray or radium as a therapeutic agent
• rales, crackles – abnormal breath sounds
• rapid – quick
• rotation – to move in circular pattern
• sanguineous drainage – bloody drainage
• scanty – small in amount
• semi-Fowler’s position – semi-erect, head of bed elevated 30–45 degrees
• serous drainage – drainage of lymphatic fluid
• Sims’ position – on left side, left arm behind back, left leg slightly flexed, right leg slightly flexed
• sprain – wrenching of a joint
• stertorous – characterized by snoring
• stethoscope – instrument used for auscultation
• strabismus – squinting; misalignment of the eyes
• stuporous – partially unconscious
• subcutaneous – under the skin
• subjective – observed
• sudden onset – started all at once
• superficial – on the surface only
• supination – turning upward
• suppurating – discharging pus
• syncope – fainting
• syndrome – group of symptoms
• tachycardia – fast heartbeat, greater than 100 beats per minute
• tenacious – tough and sticky
• thready – barely perceptible
• tonic tremor – continuous shaking
• Trendelenburg position – flat on back with pelvis higher than head, foot of bed elevated 6 inches
• tympanic – filled with gas
• urticaria – hives or wheals; eruptions on skin or mucous membranes
• vertigo – dizziness
• vesicle – fluid-filled blister
• visual acuity – sharpness of vision
• void, micturate – to urinate or pass urine