B116 words · Intermediate

Being Ill vocabulary — B1

Illness vocabulary for common conditions, including an allergy, food poisoning, a rash and a virus, plus the words for how you diagnose and recover from one.

16 questions

Words in this set

allergy
/ˈælərdʒi/
A condition in which your body reacts badly to something such as food, dust, or pollen.
Example: He has an allergy to peanuts and must avoid them.
chickenpox
A common childhood illness with a high temperature and small itchy spots all over the skin.
Example: Both my kids caught chickenpox in the same week.
food poisoning
An illness you get from eating food that has gone bad.
Example: We all got food poisoning from that seafood restaurant.
hay fever
An illness caused by pollen from plants, with sneezing and itchy eyes in summer.
Example: My hay fever is terrible when the grass is cut.
virus
/ˈvaɪrəs/
A very small living thing that spreads between people and makes them ill.
Example: There's a nasty stomach virus going round the office.
cavity
/ˈkævəti/
A small hole in a tooth caused by decay.
Example: The dentist found a small cavity in my back tooth.
recover
/rɪˈkʌvər/
To become healthy again after being ill or injured.
Example: It took me two weeks to fully recover from flu.
cancer
/ˈkænsər/
A very serious illness in which harmful cells grow and spread inside the body.
Example: She was treated for cancer last year and is doing well now.
heart attack
A sudden, dangerous moment when blood stops reaching the muscle that pumps it round the body.
Example: He had a heart attack while shovelling snow last winter.
diagnose
/ˌdaɪəɡˈnoʊs/
To find out what illness or medical problem a person has, usually by checking them closely and asking questions.
Example: The doctor diagnosed him with a chest infection.
dizzy
/ˈdɪzi/
Feeling as if everything around you is turning and you might fall over.
Example: I felt dizzy after standing up too quickly.
rash
/ræʃ/
An area of red, often itchy spots on the skin.
Example: The new soap gave her an itchy rash on her arms.
ache
/eɪk/
A pain that is not very strong but goes on for a long time.
Example: I've had a dull ache in my back all week.
earache
A pain deep inside one of your ears.
Example: My youngest has an earache and can't sleep.
faint
/feɪnt/
To suddenly lose consciousness for a short time and fall down.
Example: Some people faint at the sight of blood.
cramp
/kræmp/
A sudden painful tightening of a muscle that you cannot control.
Example: I got cramp in my calf during the night.