AUSLEXAustralian English & global dictionary

Medical

Everyday Australian words, slang and life-admin terms for migrants, students and workers — explained in plain English and 8 other languages.

Reviewed entries

160 entries
Medical words here are for communication only and are not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your health, and call 000 in an emergency.

  • shortness of breath

    noun

    Difficulty breathing or not being able to get enough air.

    Shortness of breath can be serious, so get help quickly.

  • shoulder

    noun

    The joint where the arm joins the body.

    My shoulder is stiff in the morning.

  • side effect

    noun

    An unwanted effect of a medicine.

    Drowsiness is a common side effect.

  • sinuses

    noun

    Spaces in the bones of the face behind the nose.

    My sinuses are blocked because of hay fever.

  • skin

    noun

    The outer layer that covers the body.

    Protect your skin from the sun.

  • sore throat

    noun

    Pain in the throat, often when swallowing.

    I have a sore throat and a runny nose.

  • spine

    noun

    The column of bones down the middle of the back.

    The X-ray showed no damage to the spine.

  • sprain

    noun / verb

    An injury to a joint caused by twisting it; to injure a joint this way.

    It's a sprain, not a fracture.

  • stitches

    noun

    Threads used to close a cut in the skin.

    The cut needed five stitches.

  • stomach

    noun

    The organ where food is digested; informally, the belly.

    I have a pain in my stomach.

  • stroke

    noun

    A sudden loss of blood flow to part of the brain; a medical emergency.

    Face drooping can be a sign of stroke, so call 000.

  • sunburn

    noun

    Red, painful skin caused by too much sun.

    Wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn.

  • surgeon

    noun

    A doctor who performs operations.

    The surgeon explained the procedure.

  • surgery

    noun

    Medical treatment involving an operation; in Australia, also a doctor's clinic.

    She needs surgery on her knee.

  • swelling

    noun

    An area of the body that has become larger, often after an injury.

    There is some swelling around the ankle.

  • symptom

    noun

    A sign of an illness, such as pain or fever.

    What symptoms have you had?

  • tablet

    noun

    A small solid piece of medicine that you swallow.

    Take the tablets with food.

  • teething

    noun

    When a baby's first teeth grow through the gums, often causing discomfort.

    The baby is unsettled because she's teething.

  • temperature

    noun

    How hot the body is, measured to check for fever.

    The nurse took my temperature.

  • thigh

    noun

    The top part of the leg above the knee.

    He strained a muscle in his thigh.

  • throat

    noun

    The passage at the back of the mouth that leads to the stomach and lungs.

    My throat feels dry and scratchy.

  • tonsils

    noun

    Two small soft lumps at the back of the throat.

    His tonsils are red and swollen.

  • toothache

    noun

    Pain in or around a tooth.

    I need to see a dentist about this toothache.

  • tumour

    noun

    An abnormal lump of cells, which may or may not be cancer (US: tumor).

    The scan found a small tumour.

  • ultrasound

    noun

    A scan that uses sound waves to create pictures of the inside of the body.

    The ultrasound showed the baby's heartbeat.