CNA - Unit 5 Vocabulary

abbreviation

shortened form of a word or phrase

anatomic position

standing erect, facing observer, feet flat on floor and slightly separated, arms at sides, palms forward

anatomy

study of the structure of the human body

anterior

in anatomy, in front of the coronal or ventral plane

cardiac muscle

muscle that forms the heart wall

cavity

enclosed area; space within the body that contains organs

cell

basic unit in the organization of living substances

combining form

word part that can be used with other word parts to form a variety of new words

connective tissue

tissue that holds other tissues together and provides support for organs and other body structures

connective tissue cell

cells that form connective tissue

cutaneous membrane

skin

disease

definite, marked process of illness having characteristic symptoms

distal

farthest away from a central point, such as point of attachment of muscles

dorsal

posterior or back

epithelial cell

structures that form protective coverings (epithelial tissue) and sometimes produce body fluids

epithelial tissue

structure formed from epithelial cells; protects, absorbs, and produces fluids, excretes wastes

health

state of physical, mental, and social well-being

inferior

below another part

lateral

away from the midline

medial

close to the midline of the body or structure

membranes

tissue sheets that line the body cavities

meninges

three-layered serous membranes covering the brain and spinal cord

mucous membrane

epithelial tissue that produces fluid called mucus; lines body cavities that open to the outside of the body

mucous

secretion of mucous membranes; thick, sticky fluid

muscle cell

cells that form muscle tissue; have ability to shorten or lengthen and to change their shape and the position of parts to which they are attached

muscle tissue

tissue that has the ability to shorten and lengthen

nerve cell

carry electrical messages to and from different parts of body

nervous tissue

highly specialized tissue capable of conducting nerve impulses

organ

any part of the body that carries out a specific function or functions, such as the heart

pericardium

membrane that surrounds the heart

peritoneum

serous membrane that lines the walls of the abdominal and pelvic cavities

physiology

the science that deals with the functioning of living organisms

pleura

membranes that surround the lungs

posterior

back or dorsal

prefix

word part that is placed before a word root that changes or modifies the meaning of the word root

proximal

closest to the point of attachment

quadrant

one of the four imaginary sections of the surface of the abdomen

serous membrane

tissue that produces serous fluid, covers organs, and lines closed body cavities

skeletal (voluntary) muscle

muscle that is attached to bone and allows voluntary movement

smooth (involuntary, visceral) muscle

muscle located in internal organs, responsible for involuntary movement

suffix

word part added to the end of a word root that changes or modifies the meaning of the word root

superior

toward the head; upward

synovial membrane

tissue that produces synovial fluid and lines joint cavities

system

group of organs organized to perform a specific body function or functions; for example, the respiratory system

tissue

collection of specialized cells that perform a particular function

umbilicus

depressed scar marking the site of entry of the umbilical cord in the fetus, also called the belly button

ventral

front; anterior

word root

word form with a basic meaning; used in forming new words by combining it with prefixes or suffixes