STAT means now. Everything else means consult a specialist.
The foundational principle of medicine that doctors promise to follow, which sounds simple until you realize that half of medical procedures sound like medieval torture described in Latin. The original "what could go wrong?" disclaimer.
A fancy way of saying 'feverish' or 'having a fever.' Because saying someone is 'hot' in a medical context requires Latin-based gravitas.
The official list of medications a hospital or insurance plan will actually pay for without requiring a blood sacrifice and three forms. If your doctor prescribes something not on the formulary, prepare for insurance company gymnastics.
The whip-like tail appendages that bacteria and some single-celled organisms use to swim around like microscopic Olympic swimmers. These protein-based propellers spin at ridiculous speeds to move the organism toward food or away from danger. It's basically nature's outboard motor, but at a scale that makes nanotechnology look huge.
An abnormal connection or passageway between two organs or vessels that normally aren't connected. Your body's unauthorized plumbing modification.
In biology, organisms that can switch between different modes of existence depending on what's available, like a metabolic chameleon. Facultative anaerobes can live with or without oxygen (unlike your dramatic houseplants), while facultative parasites can survive independently or mooch off hosts. Think of them as the ultimate opportunists of the biological world, never committed to just one lifestyle.
The collective term for all plant life in a given area, because apparently calling it 'plants' wasn't scientific enough. Botanists use this when they want to sound sophisticated about cataloging weeds, trees, and that suspicious mushroom growing in your basement. Also applies to the microorganisms living in your gut, which is both fascinating and slightly horrifying.
A whip-like cellular appendage that bacteria and some protists use to propel themselves, basically nature's outboard motor for microscopic creatures.
Flora's animal kingdom counterpart—the collective term for all critters in a region. Zoologists and ecologists use this when 'animals' sounds too elementary school. Named after the Roman goddess of animals, it's your go-to word for sounding intellectual about everything from mosquitoes to moose in a given ecosystem.
Abnormal formation of fibrous connective tissue, typically as a response to injury or inflammation. Scar tissue's aggressive cousin that never stops building.
Anything pertaining to the femur (thighbone) or the thigh region—your go-to anatomical descriptor when discussing the body's largest and strongest bone. Common in orthopedics and vascular surgery discussions.
Anything relating to a fetus—the pre-born human in its gestational glory. Used to describe everything from fetal development to fetal distress, because apparently 'baby-related' wasn't scientific enough.
In evolutionary biology, your reproductive success score—measured not in gym visits but in viable offspring that survive to breed. That gaudy peacock's tail? Terrible for dodging predators, excellent for fitness, which explains why he has so many descendants despite being a walking target.
The lowest temperature at which a liquid's vapors ignite in the presence of an ignition source, used to classify flammability in industrial and safety contexts. It can also mean a tense situation or place where conflict is likely to erupt suddenly.
Injury to body tissue caused by freezing, typically affecting exposed areas like fingers, toes, nose, and ears. Severe cases can result in tissue death and permanent damage.