| abatis | (noun) a line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) pointed toward the enemy | Synonyms: abattis |
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| abattis | (noun) a line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) pointed toward the enemy | Synonyms: abatis |
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| abdominocentesis | (noun) centesis of the belly to remove fluid for diagnosis | Synonyms: paracentesis |
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| abiogenesis | (noun) a hypothetical organic phenomenon by which living organisms are created from nonliving matter | Synonyms: autogenesis, autogeny, spontaneous generation |
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| acanthocytosis | (noun) the presence of acanthocytes in the blood stream (as in abetalipoproteinemia) | - |
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| acantholysis | (noun) a breakdown of a cell layer in the epidermis (as in pemphigus) | - |
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| acanthosis | (noun) an abnormal but benign thickening of the prickle-cell layer of the skin (as in psoriasis) | - |
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| acariasis | (noun) infestation with itch mites | Synonyms: acaridiasis, acariosis |
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| acaridiasis | (noun) infestation with itch mites | Synonyms: acariasis, acariosis |
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| acariosis | (noun) infestation with itch mites | Synonyms: acariasis, acaridiasis |
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| acathexis | (noun) (psychoanalysis) a lack of cathexis; a condition in which significant objects or memories arouse no emotion in an individual | - |
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| acidosis | (noun) abnormally high acidity (excess hydrogen-ion concentration) of the blood and other body tissues | - |
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| acrocyanosis | (noun) cyanosis of the extremities; can occur when a spasm of the blood vessels is caused by exposure to cold or by strong emotion | Synonyms: Raynaud's sign |
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| acropolis | (noun) the citadel in ancient Greek towns | - |
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| actinomycosis | (noun) disease of cattle that can be transmitted to humans; results from infection with actinomycetes; characterized by hard swellings that exude pus through long sinuses | - |
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| adenitis | (noun) inflammation of a gland or lymph node | - |
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| adenohypophysis | (noun) the anterior lobe of the pituitary body; primarily glandular in nature | Synonyms: anterior pituitary, anterior pituitary gland |
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| adenomyosis | (noun) the presence of endometrium elsewhere than in the lining of the uterus; causes premenstrual pain and dysmenorrhea | Synonyms: endometriosis |
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| adenosis | (noun) a disorder of the glands of the body | Synonyms: gland disease, glandular disease, glandular disorder |
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| adiposis | (noun) the property of excessive fatness | Synonyms: corpulence, overweight, stoutness |
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| adonis | (noun) any handsome young man | - |
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| aegis | (noun) kindly endorsement and guidance | Synonyms: auspices, protection |
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| (noun) armor plate that protects the chest; the front part of a cuirass | Synonyms: breastplate, egis |
| aepyornis | (noun) huge (to 9 ft.) extinct flightless bird of Madagascar | Synonyms: elephant bird |
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| aerobiosis | (noun) life sustained in the presence of air or oxygen | - |
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| aesthesis | (noun) an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation | Synonyms: esthesis, sensation, sense datum, sense experience, sense impression |
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| agalactosis | (noun) a condition in which milk is not secreted in the mother's breasts after her child has been delivered | Synonyms: agalactia |
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| agamogenesis | (noun) reproduction without the fusion of gametes | Synonyms: asexual reproduction |
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| agenesis | (noun) imperfect development; nondevelopment of a part | Synonyms: agenesia |
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| agranulocytosis | (noun) an acute blood disorder (often caused by radiation or drug therapy) characterized by severe reduction in granulocytes | Synonyms: agranulosis, granulocytopenia |
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| agranulosis | (noun) an acute blood disorder (often caused by radiation or drug therapy) characterized by severe reduction in granulocytes | Synonyms: agranulocytosis, granulocytopenia |
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| akinesis | (noun) motionlessness attributable to a temporary paralysis | Synonyms: akinesia |
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| alkalosis | (noun) abnormally high alkalinity (low hydrogen-ion concentration) of the blood and other body tissues | - |
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| allantois | (noun) the vascular fetal membrane that lies below the chorion and develops from the hindgut in many embryonic higher vertebrates (reptiles, birds and mammals) | - |
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| allegoresis | (noun) the interpretation of written, oral, or artistic expression as allegory. | - |
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| allis | (noun) European shad | Synonyms: allice, allice shad, allis shad, Alosa alosa |
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| alveolitis | (noun) inflammation of the alveoli in the lungs caused by inhaling dust; with repeated exposure the condition may become chronic | - |
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| (noun) inflammation in the socket of a tooth; sometimes occurs after a tooth is extracted and a blood clot fails to form | Synonyms: dry socket |
| amanuensis | (noun) someone skilled in the transcription of speech (especially dictation) | Synonyms: shorthand typist, stenographer |
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| amaryllis | (noun) bulbous plant having showy white to reddish flowers | - |
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| amaurosis | (noun) partial or total loss of sight without pathology of the eye; caused by disease of optic nerve or retina or brain | - |
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| ambergris | (noun) waxy substance secreted by the sperm whale and found floating at sea or washed ashore; used in perfume | - |
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| amebiasis | (noun) infection by a disease-causing ameba | Synonyms: amebiosis, amoebiasis, amoebiosis |
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| amebiosis | (noun) infection by a disease-causing ameba | Synonyms: amebiasis, amoebiasis, amoebiosis |
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| amelogenesis | (noun) the developmental process of forming tooth enamel | - |
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| amitosis | (noun) the direct method of cell division characterized by simple division of the nucleus without formation of chromosomes | - |
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| amniocentesis | (noun) (pregnancy) extraction by centesis of amniotic fluid from a pregnant woman (after the 15th week of pregnancy) to aid in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities | Synonyms: amnio |
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| amoebiasis | (noun) infection by a disease-causing ameba | Synonyms: amebiasis, amebiosis, amoebiosis |
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| amoebiosis | (noun) infection by a disease-causing ameba | Synonyms: amebiasis, amebiosis, amoebiasis |
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| amphimixis | (noun) union of sperm and egg in sexual reproduction | - |
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| (noun) reproduction involving the union or fusion of a male and a female gamete | Synonyms: sexual reproduction |
| amyloidosis | (noun) a disorder characterized by deposit of amyloid in organs or tissues; often secondary to chronic rheumatoid arthritis or tuberculosis or multiple myeloma | - |
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| amylolysis | (noun) conversion of starch to sugar | - |
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| anabiosis | (noun) suspended animation in organisms during periods of extreme drought from which they revive when moisture returns | - |
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| anaclisis | (noun) (psychoanalysis) relationship marked by strong dependence on others; especially a libidinal attachment to e.g. a parental figure | - |
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| anadiplosis | (noun) repetition of the final words of a sentence or line at the beginning of the next | Synonyms: reduplication |
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| analysis | (noun) an investigation of the component parts of a whole and their relations in making up the whole | - |
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| (noun) a set of techniques for exploring underlying motives and a method of treating various mental disorders; based on the theories of Sigmund Freud | Synonyms: depth psychology, psychoanalysis |
| (noun) the abstract separation of a whole into its constituent parts in order to study the parts and their relations | Synonyms: analytic thinking |
| (noun) a branch of mathematics involving calculus and the theory of limits; sequences and series and integration and differentiation | - |
| (noun) a form of literary criticism in which the structure of a piece of writing is analyzed | - |
| (noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., `the father of the bride' instead of `the bride's father' | - |
| anamnesis | (noun) the ability to recall past occurrences | Synonyms: recollection, remembrance |
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| (noun) the case history of a medical patient as recalled by the patient | Synonyms: medical history, medical record |
| anamorphosis | (noun) a distorted projection or perspective; especially an image distorted in such a way that it becomes visible only when viewed in a special manner | Synonyms: anamorphism |
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| (noun) the evolution of one type of organism from another by a long series of gradual changes | Synonyms: anamorphism |
| anaphylaxis | (noun) hypersensitivity reaction to the ingestion or injection of a substance (a protein or drug) resulting from prior contact with a substance | - |
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| anaplasmosis | (noun) a disease of cattle that is transmitted by cattle ticks; similar to Texas fever | - |
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| anastalsis | (noun) muscular action of the alimentary tract in a direction opposite to peristalsis | - |
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| anastomosis | (noun) a natural or surgical joining of parts or branches of tubular structures so as to make or become continuous | Synonyms: inosculation |
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| anastylosis | (noun) the archeological reassembly of ruined monuments from fallen or decayed fragments (incorporating new materials when necessary) | - |
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| anchylosis | (noun) abnormal adhesion and rigidity of the bones of a joint | Synonyms: ankylosis |
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| androgenesis | (noun) male parthenogenesis in which the embryo contains only paternal chromosomes due to the failure of the egg nucleus to participate in fertilization | Synonyms: androgeny |
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| angiitis | (noun) inflammation of a blood vessel or lymph duct | - |
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| angiogenesis | (noun) the formation of new blood vessels | - |
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| angiopteris | (noun) highly variable species of very large primitive ferns of the Pacific tropical areas with high rainfall | Synonyms: Angiopteris evecta, giant fern |
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| anhidrosis | (noun) failure of the sweat glands | Synonyms: anhydrosis |
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| anhydrosis | (noun) failure of the sweat glands | Synonyms: anhidrosis |
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| ankylosis | (noun) abnormal adhesion and rigidity of the bones of a joint | Synonyms: anchylosis |
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| anthesis | (noun) the time and process of budding and unfolding of blossoms | Synonyms: blossoming, efflorescence, florescence, flowering, inflorescence |
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| anthracosis | (noun) lung disease caused by inhaling coal dust | Synonyms: black lung, black lung disease, coal miner's lung |
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| anthropogenesis | (noun) the evolution or genesis of the human race | Synonyms: anthropogeny |
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| antibiosis | (noun) an association between organisms that is harmful to one of them or between organisms and a metabolic product of another | - |
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| antimetathesis | (noun) A rhetorical figure resulting from a reverted arrangement in the last clause of a sentence of the two principal words of the clause preceding; inversion of the members of an antithesis: as, "A poem is a speaking picture; a picture a mute poem". | - |
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| antiphrasis | (noun) the use of a word in a sense opposite to its normal sense (especially in irony) | - |
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| antipyresis | (noun) medication with antipyretics to treat a fever | - |
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| antisepsis | (noun) the process of inhibiting the growth and multiplication of microorganisms | Synonyms: asepsis |
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| (noun) (of non-living objects) the state of being free of pathogenic organisms | Synonyms: asepsis, sterileness, sterility |
| antithesis | (noun) the juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas to give a feeling of balance | - |
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| (noun) exact opposite | - |
| anuresis | (noun) inability to urinate | Synonyms: anuria |
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| aortitis | (noun) inflammation of the aorta | - |
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| aphaeresis | (noun) (linguistics) omission at the beginning of a word as in `coon' for `raccoon' or `till' for `until' | Synonyms: apheresis |
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| apheresis | (noun) a procedure in which blood is drawn and separated into its components by dialysis; some are retained and the rest are returned to the donor by transfusion | Synonyms: pheresis |
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| (noun) (linguistics) omission at the beginning of a word as in `coon' for `raccoon' or `till' for `until' | Synonyms: aphaeresis |
| aphesis | (noun) the gradual disappearance of an initial (usually unstressed) vowel or syllable as in `squire' for `esquire' | - |
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| apoapsis | (noun) (astronomy) the point in an orbit farthest from the body being orbited | Synonyms: point of apoapsis |
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| apomixis | (noun) any of several kinds of reproduction without fertilization | - |
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| aponeurosis | (noun) any of the deeper and thicker fascia that attach muscles to bones; resemble flattened tendons | - |
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| apophasis | (noun) mentioning something by saying it will not be mentioned | - |
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| apophysis | (noun) (anatomy) a natural outgrowth or projection on an organ or body part such as the process of a vertebra | - |
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| (noun) (botany) a natural swelling or enlargement: at the base of the stalk or seta in certain mosses or on the cone scale of certain conifers | - |
| apoptosis | (noun) a type of cell death in which the cell uses specialized cellular machinery to kill itself; a cell suicide mechanism that enables metazoans to control cell number and eliminate cells that threaten the animal's survival | Synonyms: caspase-mediated cell death, programmed cell death |
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| aposiopesis | (noun) breaking off in the middle of a sentence (as by writers of realistic conversations) | - |
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| apotheosis | (noun) the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god) | Synonyms: deification, exaltation |
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| (noun) model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal | Synonyms: ideal, nonesuch, nonpareil, nonsuch, paragon, saint |
| appendicitis | (noun) inflammation of the vermiform appendix | - |
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| apsis | (noun) a domed or vaulted recess or projection on a building especially the east end of a church; usually contains the altar | Synonyms: apse |
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| archaeornis | (noun) extinct primitive toothed bird with a long feathered tail and three free clawed digits on each wing | - |
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| architeuthis | (noun) largest mollusk known about but never seen (to 60 feet long) | Synonyms: giant squid |
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| arteriectasis | (noun) an abnormal distension of an artery | Synonyms: arteriectasia |
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| arteriolosclerosis | (noun) sclerosis of the arterioles | - |
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| arteriosclerosis | (noun) sclerosis of the arterial walls | Synonyms: arterial sclerosis, coronary-artery disease, hardening of the arteries, induration of the arteries |
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| arteritis | (noun) inflammation of an artery | - |
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| arthritis | (noun) inflammation of a joint or joints | - |
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