MedTerm Speak

Master the language of medicine

Waller

WAHL-ur

/ˈwɒlər/

Refers to Wallerian degeneration, the process of decay in a nerve fiber after it has been severed.

Wandering

WAHN-dur-ing

/ˈwɒndərɪŋ/

An older anatomical term for the Vagus nerve or any vessel that follows an irregular path.

Wart

WORT

/wɔːrt/

A small, hard, benign growth on the skin, caused by a viral infection (verruca).

Web

WEB

/wɛb/

The tissue or fold of skin connecting the bases of the fingers or toes.

Weight-bearing

WAYT-bair-ing

/ˈweɪtˌbɛərɪŋ/

The ability of a bone or joint to support the weight of the body (e.g., the femur or tibia).

Wernicke

WUR-nih-kee

/ˈvɛərnɪkə/

Wernicke's area; a region of the brain important for the comprehension of written and spoken language.

Wharton

WORT-un

/ˈhwɔːrtən/

Wharton's Duct (submandibular duct) or Wharton's Jelly (connective tissue of the umbilical cord).

White Matter

WHYT MAT-ur

/waɪt ˈmætər/

Tissues in the brain and spinal cord consisting of bundles of myelinated nerve fibers.

Windpipe

WIND-pyp

/ˈwɪndpaɪp/

The common name for the trachea.

Wing

WING

/wɪŋ/

The Ala; a wing-like anatomical process (e.g., the wings of the sphenoid bone or the ilium).

Wisdom Tooth

WIZ-dum TOOTH

/ˈwɪzdəm tuːθ/

The third molar at the back of each side of the upper and lower jaws.

Wolffian

WULF-ee-un

/ˈwʊlfiən/

The Wolffian duct; an embryonic structure that develops into the male reproductive tract.

Wormian

WUR-mee-un

/ˈwɜːrmiən/

Small, irregular bones found within the sutures of the skull.

Wrist

RIST

/rɪst/

The joint connecting the hand with the forearm (the carpus).