skip navigational links United States Department of Labor
May 8, 2009   
DOL Home > OASAM > Wirtz Labor Library > Law Library > Law Tips Archive > Medical Dictionaries
DOL Home

Medical Dictionaries

If you need a quick definition and don't have access to the print dictionaries or encyclopedias such as The Attorney's Dictionary of Medicine, Lawyers' Medical Cyclopedia, the Merck Manual or the Physicians Desk Reference, a good place to start would be one of the online Medical Dictionaries. There are several to chose from that can assist you with your initial research. The following resources are available:

  • MedicineNet.com (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp), an online healthcare media publishing company, has several databases that can be searched by keywords or browsed alphabetically. Topics covered include Diseases & Conditions, Procedures & Tests, Medications, and MedTerms Dictionary. You can use the tabs across the top of the page to navigate the website.

  • Merriam Webster's Medical Dictionary (http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/9276/9276.html?k=navx408x9276) is featured on Aetna's InteliHealth webpage. The dictionary is searchable through a basic key word search function.

  • MTDesk.com (http://www.mtdesk.com/) is a website for medical transcriptionists that provides a browseable "Glossary" of surgical, medical and new terms. There is also a list of "Terms A-Z" covering new drugs, equipment and procedures, as well as a Site Map that can be used to locate a specific term. Use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate this website.

  • On-line Medical Dictionary (http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/omd/) is from the Department of Medical Oncology at the University of Newcastle. OMD is a searchable dictionary created by Dr. Graham Dark. There is also a browseable list arranged alphabetically. It contains terms relating to biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, medicine, molecular biology, physics, plant biology, radiobiology, science and technology. It also includes acronyms, jargon, theory, conventions, standards, institutions, projects, eponyms and history.

These dictionaries are a good starting point if you need basic definitions of medical terms. The print sources listed in the first paragraph of this tip are available in print in the Wirtz Labor Library.

 

Phone Numbers