immunity
/ˌɪˈmjunəti/The body's ability to resist a particular infection, either naturally or after a vaccine.
Example: Doctors wanted to know whether she had any immunity to the virus.
C120 words · Advanced
Body Parts vocabulary — C1
Body parts vocabulary for structures beneath the surface, including the cornea, the pancreas, the aorta and the diaphragm, the names that turn up on a scan report rather than in everyday talk.
20 questions
Words in this set
20metabolism
/məˈtæbəˌlɪzəm/The way the body turns food into the energy it runs on.
Example:
He eats constantly and stays thin — a fast metabolism, apparently.
circulation
/ˈsɜrkjəˌleɪʃən/The steady movement of blood that the heart pushes around the body.
Example:
Walking every hour keeps your circulation going on long flights.
tendon
/ˈtɛndən/A tough cord inside the body that joins a muscle to a bone.
Example:
He damaged a tendon in his heel playing squash.
abdomen
/æbˈdoʊmən/The part of the body between the chest and the hips, holding the stomach and gut.
Example:
The doctor pressed gently on my abdomen and asked where it hurt.
torso
/ˈtɔrˌsoʊ/The main trunk of the body, not counting the head, arms and legs.
Example:
The tattoo covers most of his upper torso.
ligament
/ˈlɪɡəmənt/A strong band of tissue inside the body that holds two bones together at a joint.
Example:
He tore a ligament in his knee during the match.
gland
/ɡlænd/A small organ in the body that produces a substance such as sweat, saliva or a hormone.
Example:
The doctor felt the swollen glands in my neck.
cranium
/ˈkreɪˌniəm/The bony part of the head that encloses and protects the brain.
Example:
A helmet protects the cranium from serious injury.
diaphragm
/ˈdaɪəˌfræm/The large muscle below the lungs that helps you breathe.
Example:
Singers learn to breathe using their diaphragm.
cornea
/ˈkɔrniə/The clear layer at the front of the eye that light passes through.
Example:
A scratched cornea is far more painful than it sounds.
retina
/ˈrɛtənə/The layer at the back of the eye that senses light.
Example:
The optician photographs the retina at every appointment now.
larynx
/ˈlɛrɪŋks/The part of the throat that contains the vocal cords.
Example:
An infection in the larynx left him unable to speak for days.
pancreas
/ˈpænkriəs/An organ behind the stomach that produces insulin and digestive juices.
Example:
The scan showed inflammation around the pancreas.
spleen
/splin/An organ near the stomach that filters blood and fights infection.
Example:
A ruptured spleen is one of the risks of a heavy fall.
marrow
/ˈmɛroʊ/The soft tissue inside bones where blood cells are made.
Example:
A marrow donor was found within three weeks.
follicle
/ˈfɑləkəl/A tiny hole in the skin from which a hair grows.
Example:
Each follicle rests for months before growing again.
aorta
/eɪˈɔrtə/The largest blood vessel, carrying blood away from the heart.
Example:
The aorta was repaired in a six-hour operation.
capillary
/ˈkæpəˌlɛri/One of the smallest blood vessels in the body.
Example:
Cold weather closes every capillary near the surface of the skin.
cuticle
/ˈkjutəkəl/The strip of hard skin at the base of a fingernail.
Example:
She pushes the cuticle back rather than cutting it.
