MedTerm Speak

Master the language of medicine

Calcaneus

kal-KAY-nee-us

/kælˈkeɪniəs/

The large bone forming the heel of the human foot.

Calvaria

kal-VAIR-ee-uh

/kælˈvɛəriə/

The top part of the skull; the skullcap.

Canaliculus

kan-uh-LIK-yoo-lus

/ˌkænəˈlɪkjʊləs/

A small channel or duct in the body, particularly in bone tissue.

Capillary

KAP-ih-lair-ee

/ˈkæpɪlɛri/

The smallest of the body's blood vessels, where gas exchange occurs.

Capitulum

kuh-PITCH-uh-lum

/kəˈpɪtʃʊləm/

A little head; specifically the lateral condyle of the humerus.

Cardiac

KAR-dee-ak

/ˈkɑːrdiæk/

Relating to the heart.

Carotid

kuh-ROT-id

/kəˈrɒtɪd/

Either of the two main arteries that carry blood to the head and neck.

Carpals

KAR-puls

/ˈkɑːrpəlz/

The eight small bones that make up the wrist.

Cartilage

KAR-tih-lij

/ˈkɑːrtɪlɪdʒ/

Firm, whitish, flexible connective tissue found in joints and the nose.

Cauda Equina

KAW-duh ee-KWY-nuh

/ˈkɔːdə ɪˈkwaɪnə/

A bundle of spinal nerves and nerve roots at the lower end of the spinal cord.

Caudal

KAW-dul

/ˈkɔːdəl/

Situated at or near the tail or the posterior part of the body.

Cecum

SEE-kum

/ˈsiːkəm/

A pouch connected to the junction of the small and large intestines.

Celiac

SEE-lee-ak

/ˈsiːliæk/

Relating to the abdominal cavity.

Centriole

SEN-tree-ohl

/ˈsɛntrioʊl/

A minute cylindrical organelle involved in cell division.

Cerebellum

sair-uh-BEL-um

/ˌsɛrɪˈbɛləm/

The part of the brain at the back of the skull that coordinates muscular activity.

Cerebrum

suh-REE-brum

/səˈriːbrəm/

The largest part of the brain, responsible for high-level functions.

Cervix

SUR-viks

/ˈsɜːrvɪks/

The narrow neck-like passage forming the lower end of the uterus.

Chiasm

KY-az-um

/ˈkaɪæzəm/

An intersection or crossing of two tracts, such as the optic nerves.

Choana

ko-AY-nuh

/koʊˈeɪnə/

Either of the pair of posterior openings of the nasal cavity.

Cholecyst

KO-lee-sist

/ˈkoʊlɪsɪst/

Another term for the gallbladder.

Chondrocyte

KON-dro-syt

/ˈkɒndroʊsaɪt/

A cell which has secreted the matrix of cartilage and become embedded in it.

Chorda Tympani

KOR-duh TIM-pan-ee

/ˈkɔːrdə ˈtɪmpəni/

A branch of the facial nerve that supplies the tongue and ear.

Choroid

KOR-oyd

/ˈkɔːrɔɪd/

The pigmented vascular layer of the eyeball between the retina and the sclera.

Chromatin

KRO-muh-tin

/ˈkroʊmətɪn/

The material of which the chromosomes of organisms are composed.

Chyle

KY-ul

/kaɪl/

A milky fluid consisting of lymph and emulsified fat.

Chyme

KY-me

/kaɪm/

The pulpy acidic fluid which passes from the stomach to the small intestine.

Cilia

SIL-ee-uh

/ˈsɪliə/

Short microscopic hairlike vibrating structures on the surface of certain cells.

Circumduction

sur-kum-DUK-shun

/ˌsɜːrkəmˈdʌkʃən/

Circular movement of a limb at the far end.

Clavicle

KLAV-ih-kul

/ˈklævɪkəl/

The collarbone.

Clitoris

KLIT-ur-is

/ˈklɪtərɪs/

A small sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals.

Clivus

KLY-vus

/ˈklaɪvəs/

A sloping surface on the sphenoid bone in the skull.

Coccyx

KOK-siks

/ˈkɒksɪks/

The small triangular bone at the base of the spinal column (tailbone).

Cochlea

KOK-lee-uh

/ˈkɒkliə/

The spiral cavity of the inner ear containing the organ of Corti.

Colon

KO-lun

/ˈkoʊlən/

The main part of the large intestine.

Commissure

KOM-ih-shoor

/ˈkɒmɪʃər/

A band of nerve fibers connecting the two sides of the brain or spinal cord.

Concha

KONG-kuh

/ˈkɒŋkə/

The external ear's central part or shell-like structures in the nose.

Condyle

KON-dyl

/ˈkɒndail/

A rounded protuberance at the end of some bones, forming an articulation with another bone.

Conjunctiva

kon-junk-TY-vuh

/ˌkɒndʒʌŋkˈtaɪvə/

The mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids.

Cornea

KOR-nee-uh

/ˈkɔːrniə/

The transparent layer forming the front of the eye.

Coronal

kor-O-nul

/kəˈroʊnəl/

Relating to the crown of the head or a plane dividing the body into front and back.

Coronoid

KOR-uh-noyd

/ˈkɒrənɔɪd/

A hooked projection of bone, specifically on the mandible or ulna.

Corpus Callosum

KOR-pus kuh-LO-sum

/ˈkɔːrpəs kəˈloʊsəm/

A broad band of nerve fibers joining the two hemispheres of the brain.

Cortex

KOR-teks

/ˈkɔːrtɛks/

The outer layer of an organ (e.g., kidney, adrenal gland, or brain).

Costal

KOS-tul

/ˈkɒstəl/

Relating to the ribs.

Cranial

KRAY-nee-ul

/ˈkreɪniəl/

Relating to the skull or cranium.

Cranium

KRAY-nee-um

/ˈkreɪniəm/

The skull, especially the part enclosing the brain.

Cremaster

kre-MAS-tur

/krɪˈmæstər/

A muscle that covers the testes and the spermatic cord.

Cribriform

KRIB-rih-form

/ˈkrɪbrɪfɔːrm/

Sieve-like plate of the ethmoid bone supporting the olfactory bulb.

Cricoid

KRY-koyd

/ˈkraɪkɔɪd/

The ring-shaped cartilage of the larynx.

Crista Galli

KRIS-tuh GAL-ee

/ˈkrɪstə ˈɡælaɪ/

A median ridge of bone on the superior surface of the ethmoid bone.

Cruciate

KROO-shee-ayt

/ˈkruːʃieɪt/

Shaped like a cross (e.g., the cruciate ligaments of the knee).

Crus

KRUS

/krʌs/

The leg or a leg-like part (plural: crura).

Cubital

KYOO-bih-tul

/ˈkjuːbɪtəl/

Relating to the elbow.

Cuneiform

kyoo-NEE-ih-form

/kjuːˈniːɪfɔːrm/

Wedge-shaped bones in the foot or cartilage in the larynx.

Cusp

KUSP

/kʌsp/

A pointed end or projection, such as on a tooth or a heart valve.

Cutaneous

kyoo-TAY-nee-us

/kjuːˈteɪniəs/

Relating to the skin.

Cytoplasm

SY-to-plaz-um

/ˈsaɪtoʊplæzəm/

The material within a living cell, excluding the nucleus.