Health-care vocabulary · Topic 4 of 14

Words for Body Processes & Actions

Words for Body Processes & Actions — Set 1

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Vocabulary · body processes

Words for Body Processes & Actions — Set 1

Body-process words: void and defecate mean eliminating waste, dilate means widen, occluded means blocked, and patent means open.

01 · Most testedOccluded = blocked, nothing gets through

02 · Most testedDilate = widen or enlarge

03 · Most testedPatent = open and unblocked

Most-tested words

occluded (adjective) — blocked or closed off

dilate (verb) — to widen or enlarge

patent (adjective) — open and unblocked (a patent airway)

void (verb) — to empty the bladder; to urinate

defecate (verb) — to pass stool; to have a bowel movement

More words

ingest (verb) — to take into the body by swallowing

digest (verb) — to break food down so the body can use it

absorb (verb) — to take in or soak up

excrete (verb) — to pass waste out of the body

secrete (verb) — to make and release a substance (gland or cell)

urinate (verb) — to pass urine

expectorate (verb) — to cough up and spit out mucus

aspirate (verb) — to suction out; to breathe something into the lungs

constrict (verb) — to narrow or tighten

contract (verb) — to shorten and tighten (a muscle)

ambulate (verb) — to walk

respiration (noun) — breathing

kinetic (adjective) — relating to motion

flexion (noun) — bending a joint

extension (noun) — straightening a joint (opposite of flexion)

equilibrium (noun) — a state of balance

Constrict vs dilate

Commonly confused

	Constrict	Dilate
Meaning	Become narrower or tighter	Become wider or larger
Pupils	Get smaller	Get larger (in a dark room)
Synonyms	Narrow, tighten	Widen, enlarge, expand

In a sentence

Show 21 example sentences

occluded: An occluded artery can stop blood from reaching part of the heart muscle.

dilate: The pupils dilate in a dim room to let in more light.

patent: The nurse flushed the IV line to make sure it was still patent.

void: The patient had not voided for eight hours, so the nurse checked the bladder.

defecate: The patient has not defecated in three days and feels bloated.

ingest: The toddler may have ingested several vitamins left on the counter.

digest: Fatty meals take the patient longer to digest.

absorb: Most nutrients are absorbed through the wall of the small intestine.

excrete: The kidneys excrete extra salt and water in the urine.

secrete: The pancreas secretes insulin when blood sugar rises.

urinate: The patient reports needing to urinate several times each night.

expectorate: The nurse asked the patient to expectorate into the specimen cup.

aspirate: A patient who cannot swallow safely may aspirate thin liquids into the lungs.

constrict: Cold air can make the airways constrict.

contract: The heart muscle contracts to push blood out to the body.

ambulate: The patient was able to ambulate to the bathroom without help.

respiration: The nurse counted the patient's respirations for a full minute.

kinetic: Riding a bike turns the body's stored energy into kinetic energy.

flexion: The patient has limited flexion of the left knee after surgery.

extension: Full extension of the arm was painful after the fall.

equilibrium: The inner ear helps the body keep its equilibrium while standing.

Pearl

Occluded is closed, patent is open: a patent airway lets air through.

Words for Body Processes & Actions — Set 2

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Vocabulary · body processes

Words for Body Processes & Actions — Set 2

More body-process words: obstruct means block, retain means keep in, expel means force out, and a nutrient is what food supplies.

01 · Most testedObstruct = block a passage

02 · Most testedRetain = keep or hold in

03 · Most testedExpel = force out

Most-tested words

obstruct (verb) — to block a passage

retain (verb) — to keep or hold in

expel (verb) — to force out

nutrient (noun) — a substance in food the body needs

More words

compensatory (adjective) — making up for a loss or weakness

metabolism (noun) — the body's chemical processes that use food

atrophy (verb) — to waste away or shrink

desiccated (adjective) — dried out

exertion (noun) — physical or mental effort

circulate (verb) — to move around continuously (blood)

coagulate (verb) — to thicken; to clot

eliminate (verb) — to get rid of; to pass waste

inhale (verb) — to breathe in

perspire (verb) — to sweat

hypertrophy (noun) — enlargement as cells grow larger

dehydrate (verb) — to lose or remove water

regurgitate (verb) — to bring swallowed food back up

regenerate (verb) — to regrow or renew

inflate (verb) — to fill with air or gas

permeable (adjective) — letting substances pass through

Atrophy vs hypertrophy

Commonly confused

	Atrophy	Hypertrophy
Meaning	Waste away and shrink	Grow larger as cells enlarge
Common cause	Lack of use, poor nutrition, disease	Extra work, such as exercise
Example	Leg muscles after weeks in a cast	Muscles after weight training

In a sentence

Show 20 example sentences

obstruct: A piece of food can obstruct the airway and cause choking.

retain: The patient's ankles swell when the body retains extra fluid.

expel: A strong cough helps expel mucus from the airways.

nutrient: Iron is a nutrient the body needs to make red blood cells.

compensatory: A faster heart rate can be a compensatory response to bleeding.

metabolism: Thyroid hormone helps set the rate of metabolism.

atrophy: Leg muscles can atrophy after weeks in a cast.

desiccated: Left without a moist dressing, the wound became desiccated and cracked.

exertion: The patient becomes short of breath with exertion, such as climbing stairs.

circulate: The heart pumps to circulate blood to every tissue.

coagulate: Blood begins to coagulate within minutes of a small cut.

eliminate: The kidneys eliminate waste products from the blood.

inhale: Ask the patient to inhale slowly through the nose.

perspire: Patients with a fever often perspire heavily at night.

hypertrophy: Weight training causes hypertrophy of the trained muscles.

dehydrate: Vomiting and diarrhea can quickly dehydrate a small child.

regurgitate: The infant tends to regurgitate a little milk after each feeding.

regenerate: The liver can regenerate after part of it is removed.

inflate: The nurse inflated the blood pressure cuff around the patient's arm.

permeable: The cell membrane is permeable to water and oxygen.

Pearl

Retain keeps it in; expel forces it out.

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