Medical Dictionary

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Aldrich
Robert Anderson, U.S. pediatrician, *1917. See A. syndrome, Wiskott-A. syndrome.

aldrin (al′drin)
A volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon used as an insecticide; if absorbed through the skin, it causes toxic symptoms consisting of irritability followed by depression.

alecithal (a-les′i-thal)
Without yolk; denoting ova with little or no deutoplasm. [G. a- priv. + lekithos, yolk]

Alectorobius talaje (a-lek-tor-o′be-us ta-la′je)
An insect, commonly found in Mexico and South America, whose bites, like those of the bedbug, may suppurate.

alemmal (a-lem′al)
Denoting a nerve fiber lacking a neurolemma. [G. a- priv. + lemma, husk]

aleukemia (a-loo-ke′me-a)
1. Literally, a lack of leukocytes in the blood. The term is generally used to indicate varieties of leukemic disease in which the white blood cell count in circulating blood is normal or even less than normal ( i.e., no leukocytosis), but a few young leukocytes are observed; sometimes used more restrictedly for unusual instances of leukemia with no leukocytosis and no young forms in the blood. 2. Leukemic changes in bone marrow associated with a subnormal number of leukocytes in the blood. SEE ALSO: subleukemic leukemia. [G. a- priv. + leukos, white, + haima, blood]

aleukemic (a-loo-ke′mik)
Pertaining to aleukemia.

aleukemoid (a-loo-ke′moyd)
Resembling aleukemia symptomatically.

aleukia (a-loo′ke-a)
1. Absence or extremely decreased number of leukocytes in the circulating blood; sometimes also termed aleukemic myelosis. 2. Obsolete name for thrombocytopenia. [G. a- priv. + leukos, white]

aleukocytic (a-loo-ko-sit′ik)
Manifesting absence or extremely reduced numbers of leukocytes in blood or lesions.

aleukocytosis (a-loo-ko-si-to′sis)
Absence or great reduction (relative or absolute) of the number of white blood cells in the circulating blood ( i.e., an advanced degree of leukopenia), or the lack of leukocytes in an anatomical lesion. [G. a- priv. + leukos, white, + kytos, a hollow (cell)]

aleurioconidium (a-loo′re-o-ko-nid′e-um)
A conidium developed from the blown-out end of conidiogenous cells or hyphal branches, and released by rupture below the base of attachment. SYN: aleuriospore. [G. aleuron, flour, + conidium]

aleuriospore (a-loo′re-o-spor)
SYN: aleurioconidium.

aleuron (al′oo-ron)
Protein granules in the endosperm of seeds, supposed to contain the vitamins of edible seeds and grains. [G. flour]

aleuronate (a-loo′ro-nat)
Protein from the aleuron layer (endosperm) of cereal grains; used to make bread for diabetics.

aleuronoid (a-loo′ro-noyd)
Resembling flour.

Alexander
Gustav, Austrian otolaryngologist, 1873–1932. See A. hearing impairment.

Alexander
W. Stewart, 20th century New Zealand pathologist. See A. disease.

alexia (a-lek′se-a)
An inability to comprehend the meaning of written or printed words and sentences, caused by a cerebral lesion. Also called optical a., sensory a., or visual a., in distinction to motor a. (anarthria), in which there is loss of the power to read aloud although the significance of what is written or printed is understood. SYN: text blindness, word blindness, visual aphasia (1) . [G. a- priv. + lexis, a word or phrase] incomplete a. SYN: dyslexia. musical a. loss of the power to read musical notation. SYN: music blindness, note blindness.

alexic (a-lek′sik)
Pertaining to alexia.

alexin (a-lek′sin)
Obsolete term for the bactericidal substances of cell-free serum, the activity of which is destroyed by heating at 56°C; applied by Bordet to the heat-labile substance normally present in serum and distinct from the sensitizing substance (antibody) produced by infection or immunization. In this sense it is synonymous with complement. [G. alexo, to ward off]

alexithymia (a-lek-si-thi′me-a)
Difficulty in recognizing and describing one's emotions, defining them in terms of somatic sensations or behavioral reactions. [G. a- priv. + lexis, word, + -thymia, feelings, passion]

alfacalcidol (al-fa-kal′si-dol)
A derivative of vitamin D used in the treatment of hypoparathyroidism, vitamin D-dependent rickets, and rickets associated with malabsorption syndromes.

alfentanil hydrochloride (al-fen′ta-nil)
A very potent, short-acting narcotic agonist analgesic used as an anesthetic or as an adjunct in the maintenance of general anesthesia.

ALG
Abbreviation for antilymphocyte globulin.

algae (al′je)
A division of eukaryotic, photosynthetic, nonflowering organisms that includes many seaweeds. [pl. of L. alga, seaweed] blue-green a. former name for the blue-green bacteria, now classified as Cyanobacteria.

algal (al′gal)
Resembling or pertaining to algae.

algaroba (al-ga-ro′ba)
Ground meal of the fruit of Ceratonia siliqua; used as an adsorbent-demulcent in the treatment of diarrhea. SYN: carob flour, locust gum.

alge-, algesi-, algio-, algo-
Pain; corresponds to L. dolor-. [G. algos, a pain]

algefacient (al-je-fa′shent)
An agent that has a cooling action. [L. algeo, to be cold, + facio, pr. pl. -iens, to make]

algesi-
See alge-.

algesia (al-je′ze-a)
SYN: algesthesia. [G. algesis, a sense of pain]

algesic (al-jez-ik)
1. Painful; related to or causing pain. 2. Relating to hypersensitivity to pain. SYN: algetic.

algesichronometer (al-je′ze-kro-nom′e-ter)
An instrument for recording the time required for the perception of a painful stimulus. [G. algesis, sense of pain, + chronos, time, + metron, measure]

algesimeter (al-je-sim′e-ter)
SYN: algesiometer.

algesiogenic (al-je′ze-o-jen′ik)
Pain-producing. SYN: algogenic. [G. algesis, sense of pain, + -gen, production]

algesiometer (al-je-ze-om′e-ter)
An instrument for measuring the degree of sensitivity to a painful stimulus. SYN: algesimeter, algometer. [G. algesis, sense of pain, + metron, measure]

algesthesia (al-jes-the′ze-a)
1. The appreciation of pain. 2. Hypersensitivity to pain. SYN: algesia, algesthesis. [G. algos, pain, + aisthesis, sensation]

algesthesis (al-jes-the′sis)
SYN: algesthesia.

algestone acetophenide (al-jes′ton a-se-to-fe′nid)
A progestogen with contraceptive properties. SYN: alphasone acetophenide.

algetic (al-jet′ik)
SYN: algesic.

-algia
Pain, painful condition. [G. algos, a pain]

algicide (al′ji-sid)
An agent active against algae. [algae, + L. caedo, to kill]

algid (al′jid)
Chilly, cold. [L. algidus, cold]

algin (al′jin)
A carbohydrate product from a seaweed, Macrocystis pyrifera; used as a gel in pharmaceutical preparations. SYN: sodium alginate.

alginate (al′ji-nat)
An irreversible hydrocolloid consisting of salts of alginic acid, a colloidal acid polysaccharide obtained from seaweed and composed of mannuronic acid residues; used in dental impression materials.

algio-
See alge-.

algiomotor (al-je-o-mo′tor)
Causing painful muscular contractions. SYN: algiomuscular. [algio- + L. motor, mover]

algiomuscular (al′je-o-mus′ku-lar)
SYN: algiomotor.

algiovascular (al′je-o-vas′ku-lar)
SYN: algovascular.

algo-
See alge-.

algodystrophy (al-go-dis′tro-fe)
A painful local disturbance of growth, particularly due to focal aseptic necrosis of bone and cartilage. [algo- + G. dys-, bad, + trophe, nourishment]

algogenesis, algogenesia (al-go-jen′e-sis, -je-ne′ze-a)
The production or origin of pain. [algo- + G. genesis, origin]

algogenic (al-go-jen′ik)
SYN: algesiogenic.

algolagnia (al-go-lag′ne-a)
Obsolete term for algophilia. [algo- + G. lagneia, lust]

algology (al-golo-je)
1. The study of pain. [G. algos,pain, + -logy] 2. The scientific study of algae.

algometer (al-gom′e-ter)
SYN: algesiometer. [algo- + G. metron, measure]

algometry (al-gom′e-tre)
The process of measuring pain.

algophilia (al-go-fil′e-a)
Form of sexual perversion in which the infliction or the experiencing of pain increases the pleasure of the sexual act or causes sexual pleasure independent of the act; includes both sadism and masochism. [algo- + G. phileo, to love]

algophobia (al-go-fo′be-a)
Abnormal fear of or sensitiveness to pain. [algo- + G. phobos, fear]

algorithm (al′go-rithm)
A systematic process consisting of an ordered sequence of steps, each step depending on the outcome of the previous one. In clinical medicine, a step-by-step protocol for management of a health care problem; in computed tomography, the formulas used for calculation of the final image from the transmitted x-ray data. [Mediev. L. algorismus, after Muhammad ibn-Musa al-Khwarizmi, Arabian mathematician, + G. arithmos, number]

algoscopy (al-gos′ko-pe)
SYN: cryoscopy. [L. algor, cold, + G. skopeo, to view]

algospasm (al′go-spazm)
Spasm produced by pain. [G. algos, pain, + spasmos, convulsion]

algovascular (al-go-vas′ku-lar)
Relating to changes in the lumen of the blood vessels occurring under the influence of pain. SYN: algiovascular. [G. algos, pain]

alible (al′i-bl)
SYN: nutritive. [L. alibilis, nutritive, fr. alo, to nourish]

alicyclic (al-i-sik′lik)
Denoting an a. compound.

alienation (a-le-en-a′shun)
A condition characterized by lack of meaningful relationships with others, sometimes resulting in depersonalization and estrangement from others. [L. alieno, pp. -atus, to make strange]

alienia (a-li-e′ne-a)
Congenital absence of the spleen. [G. a- priv. + L. lien, spleen]

aliform (al′i-form)
Wing-shaped. [L. ala, + forma, shape]

alignment (a-lin′ment)
1. The longitudinal position of a bone or limb. 2. The act of bringing into line. 3. In dentistry, the arrangement of the teeth in relation to the supporting structures and the adjacent and opposing dentitions. SYN: alinement. [Fr. aligner, to line up, fr. L. linea, line]

aliment (al′i-ment)
1. SYN: nourishment. 2. In sensorimotor theory, that which is assimilated to a schema; analogous to a stimulus. [L. alo, to nourish]

alimentary (al-i-men′ter-e)
Relating to food or nutrition. [L. alimentarius, fr. alimentum, nourishment]

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