Body, Human
See also anatomy; bodily functions.
Medicine. having a high, pointed skull. Also called oxycephaly. —acrocephalic, acrocephalous, adj.
Medicine. a disease resulting from abnormal activity of the pituitary gland in which bones of the extremities are enlarged. —acromegalic, adj., n.
the state of being obese. —adipose, adj.
the study of the body and its parts. —anatomist, n. —anatomical, adj.
the possession of the characteristics of both sexes; hermaphroditism. Also androgyneity. —androgynous. adj.
ankylophobia
a dread of stiff or immobile joints.
lack of tone or tonus in the body; poor muscular condition. Cf. tonicity. —atonic, adj.
the science that studies the effects of space travel on life, especially human life and the human body.
1. the science or study of how man and animals perform tasks and solve certain types of problems involving use of the body.
2. the application of this study to the design of computer-driven and other automated equipment.
3. the application of this study to the design of artificial limbs, organs, and other prosthetic devices. —bionic, adj.
biophysiology
the branch of biology that studies the growth, morphology, and physiology of organs. —biophysiologist, n.
the removal of a fragment of living tissue from the body for medical study. —bioptic, adj.
the condition of combining male and female sexual characteristics in one body. See also sex. —bisexual, adj.
callipygia, callipygy
the state of having well-shaped buttocks. Cf. steatopygia. —callipygian, callipygous. adj.
carnosity
Obsolete, fleshiness; obesity.
the change in consistency of tissue to a soft, cheeselike form, as in tuberculosis.
a limp or limping movement.
a state or condition in which the muscles undergo clonus, or rapid flexion and extension. —clonic, adj.
coenesthesia, cenesthesia, cenesthesis
the combination of organic sensations that comprise an individual’s awareness of bodily existence. —coenesthetic, cenesthetic, adj.
an affection of the body that is secondary to and resulting from another affection.
a joint or articulation, as that at the knee, which allows maximum movement.
the condition or state of being an ectomorph, i.e., having a light, slender body structure. —ectomorphic, adj.
emaceration
Obsolete, the act of making or becoming lean; emaciation.
the condition or state of being an endomorph, i.e., having a rounded, stocky body structure with a tendency to obesity. Also called pyknic. —endomorphic, adj.
epicenism
the state or quality of combining characteristics of both sexes. —epicenity, n. —epicene, adj.
1. a normal outgrowth of the body, as hair, fingernails.
2. an abnormal outgrowth, as a corn, wart, etc. —excrescent, adj.
a body sensation that feels as if ants are crawling over the skin.
hermaphroditism. Also gynandry. —gynandroid, n., adj.
gynecomastism
an excessive development of mammary glands in males. Also gynecomastia, gynecomasty.
the presence on an individual body of both male and female sex organs. Also called androgynism, gynandrism, gynandry. —hermaphrodite, n. —hermaphroditic, adj.
a condition of the body in which muscular movement is abnormally agitated. —hyperkinetic, adj.
excessive growth of tissue or of an organ, independent of and out of proportion to the rest of the body. Cf. hypoplasia. —hypertrophic, hypertrophical, hypertrophous, adj.
a condition in which tissue or an organ of the body fails to grow to normal size. Cf. hypertrophy. —hypoplastic, adj.
a condition in which the body temperature is abnormally low. —hypothermal, adj.
a thin watery substance discharged from wounds or ulcers. See also god and gods. —ichorous, adj.
Medicine. 1. a stroke or beat, as the beat of the pulse. See also verse.
2. a paralytic stroke.
Medicine. twitching of the muscles or of other parts of the body. Also called jactation.
Medicine. the study of the motions of the human body, especially as they apply to therapy through corrective exercise. Also called kinestherapy. —kinesiologic, kinesiological, adj.
an abnormal condition of the spine in which it has a hump, kyphos, or curvature. —kyphotic, adj.
leptosomy
ectomorphy. —leptosome, n. —leptosomic, leptosomatic, adj.
any abnormal curvature of the bones, especially forward curvature of the spine, resulting in a hollow in the back. —lordotic, adj.
macrosomatia
the condition of having an abnormally large body. —macrosomatous, adj.
1. a wasting away or atrophying of the body in the absence of disease.
2. the progressive emaciation that results from malnutrition. —marasmic, adj.
the condition or state of being a mesomorph, i.e., having an athletic body structure. —mesomorphic, adj.
microcephalism
the condition of having an abnormally small head. Also microcephaly. —microcephalous, microcephalic, adj.
atrophy or wasting away of the muscles.
a condition of tonic muscle spasm or rigidity of the muscles. —myotonic, adj.
the death or decay of body tissue, the result of loss of blood supply or trauma. —necrotic, adj.
the growth or formation of aneoplasm. —neoplastic, adj.
any abnormal formation or growth of tissue, as a tumor. —neoplastic, adj.
orthopraxy, orthopraxis
the use of mechanical apparatus or devices to correct bodily deformities.
the process of correcting bodily or mental distortion. —orthotic, adj.
an abnormal condition in which the sweat has a very strong odor.
the rarefaction of bone, resulting in abnormally porous and weak bony tissue.
acrocephaly. —oxycephalic, oxycephalous, adj.
extreme acuteness or sensitivity of the sense of taste.
abnormal loss of muscle function or of sensation. —paralytic, n., adj.
a state or process of partial paralysis. —paretic, adj.
any abnormal physical sensation, as itching, a tickling feeling, etc. —paresthetic, paraesthetic, adj.
the transmission of the voice through the chest wall, so that it can be picked up by direct listening against the chest or with a stethoscope. It frequently indicates an abnormality in the lungs. —pectoriloquial, pectoriloquous, adj.
a deformity, usually congenital, in which the extremities of the limbs are abnormally short.
the state or quality of being fat or unctuous. —pinguid, adj.
pneumology
the scientific study of the human respiratory system. —pneumological, adj.
polymastism
the condition of having more than two breasts. Also polymastia. —polymastic, adj.
psychroesthesia
an abnormal condition in which part of the body, though actually warm, is felt as cold.
an instrument for measuring the rate of the pulse.
radiosensibility
sensitivity to the effects of radiation, as of parts of the body. Also radiosensitivity. —radiosensible, adj.
rhigosis
the feeling or sensation of coldness.
the opening of the mouth, especially in a grimace or expression of pain.
the state or quality of being roundor plump. —rotund, adj.
schematomancy
divination of a person’s future from observation of physical appearance.
a hardening of body tissues or other parts, as by an excessive growth of fibrous connective tissue. See also plants. —sclerotic, adj.
lateral curvature of the spine. —scoliotic, adj.
the branch of anthropology that studies man’s physical characteristics. Also physical anthropology, somatics. —somatologie, somatological, adj.
a particular type of human physique. Cf. ectomorphy, endomorphy, mesomorphy.
excessive fatness of the hips and buttocks. Cf. callipygia. —steatopygic, adj.
syntexis
the wasting of the body, as in consumption. —syntectic, syntectical, adj.
any disease that wastes the body; atrophy. —tabetic, n., adj.
tabescence
1. the process of emaciation or wasting of the body.
2. the condition of being wasted or in decay, especially as a gradual process. —tabescent, adj.
tabitude
the state of being affected by tabes or by gradual wasting or decay.
the state or quality of muscular tone or tension. —tonic, adj.
a condition characterized by involuntary contraction of the cervical muscles, causing a twisting of the neck; wryneck.
the condition of having three arterial beats for every one heart-beat, as in certain pulses. —tricrotic, adj.
1. the process of swelling.
2. the state of being swollen. —turgescent, adj.
1. an abnormally turned condition of a bone in part of the human body, especially the leg.
2. the condition of being bow-legged.
vellication
a twitching, as of a part of the body; convulsive movement of a muscle.
ventripotence
obesity, particularly in the region of the stomach. —ventripotent, adj.
ventrosity
Rare. largeness of the belly; corpulence, especially in the abdominal region.
xeransis
a dried or desiccated condition of the body. Also xerosis. —xerantic, adj.
xerotes
a dry condition or tendency to dryness of the body. —xerotic, adj.
a feeling or sensation of constriction in the body, as from wearing a tight belt.
the process of surgically grafting tissue from a lower animal onto the human body. —zooplastic, adj.