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Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.ChronicHow to say it:Chronic(craw-NICK)What it means: Lasting a long time; being slow and progressive.Where it comes from: From Greek,chronikós,“of time.“Anna Shvets/PexelsWhere you might see or hear it: Many health conditions can be characterized as chronic, meaning that they last a long time—even a lifetime. The word can also describe a condition that comes on and progresses slowly (compared toan acute conditionthat comes on suddenly and gets better quickly)....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.ContagiousHow to say it:Contagious(con-TAY-juss)What it means: A disease that can spread between people.Where it comes from: Latin,contāgiō,“contact”Brandon Nickerson/PexelsWhere you might see or hear it: If you have been exposed to someone with an infectious disease likeCOVID-19, your provider will want you toget tested. If youtest positive, you could spread the infection to others—that is, you’recontagious.When you might want to use it: If youtest positive for COVID, you will need to tell your loved ones and any other close contacts (like the people you work with)....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.How to say it:Contusion(con-TWO-schin)What it means: A tissue injury, like abruise.Where it comes from: Latin,contusio, meaning “to pound.”Markus Spiske/UnsplashWhere you might see or hear it: You might hear the term “contusion” used to describe an injury that was sustained during an attack or crime. Doctors use the term to note that a bodily tissue has been injured, but that there is no open wound in the skin....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.CultureHow to say it:Culture(cull-t-yer)What it means: Growing organisms or tissues to study them.Where it comes from: From Latin,cultura, “growing, cultivated land"John J. Farmer/CDC/WikicommonsWhere you might see or hear it: If you have an infection, your provider can order a type of test that figures out what germs are causing it. A sample of your blood,spit, or another fluid is taken to a lab....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Word of the Week: Cyanosis How to say it:Cyanosis(sigh-a-no-sis) Where it comes from: From Latin,kyanōsis, “dark blue color.” WikiCommons Where you might see or hear it: One of the most important roles that your blood plays in your body is transporting oxygen. Not having enough oxygen in your blood can cause problems and can be a sign of several health conditions....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.DegenerativeHow to say it: Degenerative (dee-jen-er-ah-tiv)What it means:Relating to or causing degeneration(loss, decline, or deterioration)Where it comes from: The term degenerative comes from the worddegenerate. InLatin, the worddegeneratusmeant “to be inferior to one’s ancestors.“MART PRODUCTION/PexelsWhere you might see or hear it: Some medical conditions are considered to be “degenerative” because they cause a loss or breakdown of parts of the body....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.Word of the Week: DiagnosisHow to say it:Diagnosis(die-ag-no-sis)What it means: Identifying a disease or cause of symptoms.Where it comes from: From Greek,diagnōsis, “to know.“cottonbro/PexelsWhere you might see or hear it: If you go to see a healthcare provider because you are having symptoms such as a sore throat and a headache, they will ask you questions and might do some tests to figure out what is causing you to feel unwell....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.EdemaHow to say it:Edema(eh-DEE-muh)What it means: An abnormal buildup of fluid in the body; swelling.Where it comes from: From Greek,oidēma, “swelling.“OpenStax College/WikiCommonsWhere you might see or hear it: If you badlysprain your ankleon a hike and need to get medical care, the doctor examining you might note that there isedemaaround your ankle or foot (which means that the area is swollen)....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.Word of the Week: EmbolusHow to say it:Embolus(em-bow-luss)What it means:Something abnormal in the blood like an air bubble or a blood clot.Where it comes from:From Greek,embolos, “wedge-shaped object"ZYjacklin/Wikimedia CommonsWhere you might see or hear it:If you are preparing to have surgery, your doctor might go overthe risks with you.One of the risks involved is a blood clot. A blood clot is called a thrombus when itforms in a blood vessel....

Each week, Verywell explains a health term from medicine, science, or technology.ErythemaHow to say it:Erythema(airy-thee-ma)What it means: It’s a medical term to describe an area of redness, usually on the skin (like a rash or sunburn).Where it comes from: A lot of medical terms come from either Greek or Latin.Erythemacomes from the Greek worderythros,which means “red.“Hans/PixabayWhere you might see or hear it: If you look at the paperwork that comes with your COVID-19 vaccine, it might say that aside effectcould beerythemaorrednesson the part of your arm where you got the shot....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Etiology How to say it:Etiology(eye-tee-oh-low-gee) What it means: The cause of a disease or condition. Where it comes from: From Greek,αἰτιολογία, “causes.” cottonbro/Pexels For example, they might explain that the reason you have the flu is thatyou caught the influenza virusthat is going around this year. The virus is the cause of your illness. When you might want to use it: Sometimes, the reason or cause of a condition that you have is more complicated....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Word of the Week: Heritable How to say it: Heritable(hair-it-ah-bull) What it means: Something—like a condition or trait—that can be passed on from one generation to another. Where it comes from:The Frenchheriter, which means “to make an heir.” UnitoneVector/Getty Where you might see or hear it: If you’ve ever been curious about yourgenetic riskfor certain traits, diseases, and even preferences, you are familiar with the concept of something being “hereditary....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology.IdiopathicHow to say it:Idiopathic(id-ee-oh-path-ick)What it means: When the cause of a disease or condition is not known.Where it comes from: From Greek,idiopatheia, “one’s own disease or feeling.“SHVETS production/PexelsWhere you might see or hear it: Sometimes, providers do not know what causes a disease or condition. When this happens, they use the termidiopathicto talk about it because the word means that the reason for the disease or condition is unknown....