Proper Medical Terms for Very Ordinary Things 2 Quiz

Answer: tummy rumbles

Borborygmi are "tummy rumbles" or the audible gurgling sounds heard from the abdomen. They happen when the muscles in your gut squeeze food, liquids, and gases through the belly, creating bubbling and rumbling noises when the gas bubbles burst. They are quite normal.

This medical term comes from the Greek word borborygmos which means "growling bowels". Borborygmus is the singular and is pronounced bor-bah-rig-muss. Borborygmi is the plural and is pronounced bor-bah-rig-my.

Answer: sneezing

Sternutation is the medical term for a sneeze. It is first recorded in the English language in the 1540s and is derived from the Latin sternuere, meaning "to sneeze or sputter". Sneezing is the body's natural reflex to clear the nasal passages of irritants, such as dust, smoke, allergens and viruses. Sneezing can also occur as a physiological response to bright lights or cold air.

Answer: vomiting

The proper medical term for vomiting is emesis, the Greek word for that action. Vomiting involves a reflex action whereby the contents of the stomach are expelled through the mouth.

Related medical terms include emetic (anything that induces vomiting, usually a drug), hyperemesis (excessive vomiting, common in pregnancy), and haematemesis (vomiting up blood).

Answer: fainting

Syncope, or fainting, is loss of consciousness caused by a temporarily insufficient flow of blood to the brain. The Greek word syncope has two meanings. Literally it means "a cutting off, cutting up, or cutting short" but it also means "a fainting spell or swoon", alluding to the "cutting off" of consciousness. It is pronounced sin-coe-pee.

Answer: birthmark

Naevus in Latin means "mole, birthmark, wart". Medically, it is used to refer to any clearly defined skin lesion present at birth and includes birthmarks, as well as certain moles and vascular lesions such as haemangiomas. However, it is never used to refer to warts.

Since naevi are present at birth, it is not surprising that the word naevus is related to the Latin nativus, meaning "born or native", from which a number of English words related to birth are derived; for example, nativity, native, innate, and nature.

Naevus is the singular (pronounced neev-uss), naevi is the plural (pronounced neev-eye).

Answer: ear wax

Cerumen comes from the Latin cera via the Greek keros, both meaning wax. It is pronounced seh-roo-mun.

Ear wax is secreted by glands located at the outer third of the ear canal. Its functions are to lubricate and protect the delicate skin that lines the inside of the outer ear, and to trap dust, dirt, and insects, preventing them from reaching and damaging the eardrum. Cerumen maintains a slightly acidic environment and contains enzymes and antibodies that inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi.

Answer: scar

The medical term cicatrix is Latin for scar. It is pronounced sick-uh-tricks. The plural is cicatrices (pronounced sick-uh-try-seez).

A scar is a mark, usually permanent, left on the skin or body part after some sort of trauma or damage, such as a wound, a surgical operation or a lesion arising from a disease. Typically, scars are initially red or purple and later fade to become pale or white. The English word scar is derived from the Greek eskhara meaning scab.

Answer: stretch marks

In medical terminology, striae (singular: stria) are narrow streaks or lines on the skin, commonly known as stretch marks. They occur in the dermis layer of the skin when connective tissue is over-stretched. They are common during pregnancy or in situations where there is rapid growth, such as puberty, weight changes, body-building exercises or hormonal fluctuations.

In Latin, stria means "narrow stripe, groove, or furrow". Stria is pronounced stry-uh; striae is pronounced stry-ee.

Answer: wart

A verruca (plural: verrucae) is the medical term for a wart. It is a benign (non-cancerous) growth on the skin or mucous membranes caused by an infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). While a verruca can appear anywhere on the body, colloquially it usually refers to plantar warts which occur on the sole of the foot.

Verruca is a Latin word meaning "wart or hillock" (because warts often resemble small hills). Verucca is pronounced ver-oo-kah and the plural, verrucae, is pronounced ver-oo-kee.

Answer: snoring

Stertor is the medical term for snoring. It is derived from the Latin stertere (to snore) which is related to the Latin word sternuere (to sneeze). The word is mainly used in its adjectival form, stertorous, which usually refers to deep and loud snoring. An example of usage is, "The patient's stertorous breathing indicated a possible airway obstruction".

Snoring is caused by the vibration of tissues in the throat and airway. It typically occurs when the airways are narrowed or obstructed during sleep. The main causes include poor muscle tone in the throat, weight gain, nasal congestion, and structural issues with the mouth or nose.