Health Glossary

Demystifying medical language. Browse or search for clear, human-centered explanations of common medical terms.

Fever

A regulated increase in body temperature caused by the body’s physiological response to a disease or other trigger. Fever commonly…
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Fluke

A fluke is a flat, leaf-shaped parasitic worm belonging to the group known as trematodes. Flukes can infect humans and…
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Food-Grade

Food-grade describes a material or product considered suitable for its intended use in contact with food under specified conditions. “Food-grade”…
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Food-Safe

Food-safe describes a material, product, or practice that is considered safe for a specific food-related use under defined conditions. Whether…
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Forceps

Forceps are handheld medical instruments designed to grasp, hold, compress, manipulate, or extract tissues or objects during medical, surgical, dental,…
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Fungus

A member of the biological kingdom Fungi, consisting of organisms that obtain nutrients from organic material and include yeasts, molds,…
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Gene

A functional unit of genetic information consisting of a sequence of DNA or, in some viruses, RNA that contributes to…
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Genetics

The branch of biology concerned with genes, heredity, genetic variation, and how genetic information is transmitted and expressed. Genetics examines…
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Genome

The complete set of genetic material of an organism, cell, or biological entity. A genome contains the genetic information needed…
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Gland

A gland is a specialized group of cells or an organ that produces and releases substances for use elsewhere in…
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