Comprehensive High-Yield Medical &
Nursing Terminology Masterlist: A–M —
Clinical Definitions, Contextual
Examples, Pathophysiology,
Pharmacology, Assessment, and Exam-
Ready Applications for NCLEX, USMLE,
and Allied Health Success Exam
Questions Provided with A+ Graded
Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Abstain
To voluntarily refrain from something. (EX: The dental hygienist instructed the patient to abstain from smoking to
improve his breath odor.)
Abrupt
Sudden and possibly unexpected
Accolade
Tribute or honor.
Accountable
To be responsible. (EX: Paramedics are accountable for maintaining up-to-date knowledge or resuscitation
techniques.)
Acute
Sudden, intense. (EX: The nurse administered the prescribed pain medication to the patient who was experiencing
acute pain after surgery.)
Adhere
To hold fast or stick together. (EX: The tape must adhere to the patient's skin to hold the bandage in place.)
Adverse
Undesired, possibly harmful. (EX: Vomiting is an adverse effect of many medications.)
Aegis
Control, protection. (EX: Unit staffing decisions are under the aegis of the nurse manager.)
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,Aggregate
A sum total of many things.
Aggrieved
Hurt or angry.
Ambivalent
Uncertain, having contradictory feelings. (EX: After learning that she had breast cancer, the patient was ambivalent
about having a mastectomy.)
Anachronism
A thing of the past. "My disease is anachronism"
Antidote
Cure or remedy. "I need an antidote for this headache"
Alleviate
Reduce. "This medicine is alleviating my pain"
Apply
To place, put on, or spread something.
Assent
To give consent, to agree.
Audible
Able to be heard. (EX: The respiratory therapist noted the patient's audible wheezing as a symptom of the patient's
asthma.
Bacteria
Single-celled, microscopic organisms.
Barrage
Bombardment, onslaught. (continuous attack). "This staph disease is so barrage, I keep getting butt pimples."
Bearing
Manner, direction, or influence.
Benign
Not harmful.
Bilateral
Present on two sides.
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,Callous
Heartless, cruel, or pitiless.
Cardiac
Of or relating to the heart.
Cataract
Medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision.
Cavity
An opening or an empty area.
Cease
Come to an end or bring to an end.
Chronology
Order of events as they occurred; timeline.
Compensatory
Offsetting (amount that diminishes or balances the effect of a contrary one) or making up for something. Best
described as corrective.
Concave
Rounded inward. (RBC)
Concise
Brief, to the point.
Consistency
Degree of viscosity; how thick or thin a fluid is in relation to how it flows. (Texture).
Constitute
To establish, create, or organize.
Constrict
To draw together or become smaller. "Blood vessels constrict when you are in a cold environment"
Contingent
Dependent/reliant.
Contraindication
A reason something is not advisable or should not be done.
Convoluted
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, To be complex. "Her symptoms were very convoluted: back pain, headache, and severe nose bleed."
Convulsive
Having or causing convulsions (violent shaking of the body [epilepsy])
Covert
Hidden or concealed. "Her bruises were covert under her clothes"
Cursory
Quick, perfunctory, not thorough. "run a cursory examination on the adult."
Defecate
Expel feces.
Deficit
A deficiency or lack of something.
Delusional
Confused or mistaken.
Depress
Press downward.
Depth
Downward measurement from a surface.
Desiccated
Dried or withered. "Her feces were desiccated"
Deteriorating
Worsening.
Device
Tool or piece of equipment.
Diagnosis
Identification of an injury or disease.
Dilate
To enlarge or expand.
Dilute
To make a liquid less concentrated.
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Nursing Terminology Masterlist: A–M —
Clinical Definitions, Contextual
Examples, Pathophysiology,
Pharmacology, Assessment, and Exam-
Ready Applications for NCLEX, USMLE,
and Allied Health Success Exam
Questions Provided with A+ Graded
Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Abstain
To voluntarily refrain from something. (EX: The dental hygienist instructed the patient to abstain from smoking to
improve his breath odor.)
Abrupt
Sudden and possibly unexpected
Accolade
Tribute or honor.
Accountable
To be responsible. (EX: Paramedics are accountable for maintaining up-to-date knowledge or resuscitation
techniques.)
Acute
Sudden, intense. (EX: The nurse administered the prescribed pain medication to the patient who was experiencing
acute pain after surgery.)
Adhere
To hold fast or stick together. (EX: The tape must adhere to the patient's skin to hold the bandage in place.)
Adverse
Undesired, possibly harmful. (EX: Vomiting is an adverse effect of many medications.)
Aegis
Control, protection. (EX: Unit staffing decisions are under the aegis of the nurse manager.)
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,Aggregate
A sum total of many things.
Aggrieved
Hurt or angry.
Ambivalent
Uncertain, having contradictory feelings. (EX: After learning that she had breast cancer, the patient was ambivalent
about having a mastectomy.)
Anachronism
A thing of the past. "My disease is anachronism"
Antidote
Cure or remedy. "I need an antidote for this headache"
Alleviate
Reduce. "This medicine is alleviating my pain"
Apply
To place, put on, or spread something.
Assent
To give consent, to agree.
Audible
Able to be heard. (EX: The respiratory therapist noted the patient's audible wheezing as a symptom of the patient's
asthma.
Bacteria
Single-celled, microscopic organisms.
Barrage
Bombardment, onslaught. (continuous attack). "This staph disease is so barrage, I keep getting butt pimples."
Bearing
Manner, direction, or influence.
Benign
Not harmful.
Bilateral
Present on two sides.
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,Callous
Heartless, cruel, or pitiless.
Cardiac
Of or relating to the heart.
Cataract
Medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision.
Cavity
An opening or an empty area.
Cease
Come to an end or bring to an end.
Chronology
Order of events as they occurred; timeline.
Compensatory
Offsetting (amount that diminishes or balances the effect of a contrary one) or making up for something. Best
described as corrective.
Concave
Rounded inward. (RBC)
Concise
Brief, to the point.
Consistency
Degree of viscosity; how thick or thin a fluid is in relation to how it flows. (Texture).
Constitute
To establish, create, or organize.
Constrict
To draw together or become smaller. "Blood vessels constrict when you are in a cold environment"
Contingent
Dependent/reliant.
Contraindication
A reason something is not advisable or should not be done.
Convoluted
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, To be complex. "Her symptoms were very convoluted: back pain, headache, and severe nose bleed."
Convulsive
Having or causing convulsions (violent shaking of the body [epilepsy])
Covert
Hidden or concealed. "Her bruises were covert under her clothes"
Cursory
Quick, perfunctory, not thorough. "run a cursory examination on the adult."
Defecate
Expel feces.
Deficit
A deficiency or lack of something.
Delusional
Confused or mistaken.
Depress
Press downward.
Depth
Downward measurement from a surface.
Desiccated
Dried or withered. "Her feces were desiccated"
Deteriorating
Worsening.
Device
Tool or piece of equipment.
Diagnosis
Identification of an injury or disease.
Dilate
To enlarge or expand.
Dilute
To make a liquid less concentrated.
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