GCU HESI A2 VOCABULARY

abate

become less in amount or intensity

abbreviate

shorten, abridge

abdicate

To give up or leave

abrupt

changing or terminating suddenly

abstain

refrain; choose to avoid or not participate

accountable

liable or responsible

adhere

Hold closely to an idea or course; be devoted

adverse

Harmful to one's interests; unfortunate

adversity

a state of burden or hardship

affect

to change or influence

anecdote

Occurring or returning once a year

apply

Bring into physical contact; lay on; bring into operation

Assiduous

very careful and hardworking

audible

loud enough to be heard

Benevolent

showing sympathy, understanding, and generosity

Bias

An unfair preference for or dislike of something

Bilateral

having two sides

boisterous

rough, rowdy, unruly

brazen

bold or unrestrained by normal standards

brusque

attitude of shortness or rudeness; gruff

capacious

Large in size or capacity

Cardiac

pertaining to the heart

cast

a molded protective device used to support broken bones

Cavity

any hollow place or space

cease

stop doing an action; discontinue

circuitous

lengthy due to being indirect or roundabout

collaborate

Work together on a common project

collateral

adjoining or accompanying

compassion

awareness and sympathy for the suffering of another

compensatory

making up for; offsetting; paying for

Complications

Something intricate, involved, or aggravating

comply

acquiesce in another's wish, command, etc.

compromise

an accommodation in which both sides make concessions

concave

with an outline or surface curved inward

concise

brief and compact

condescending

an attitude of superiority or being snobby toward others

conditional

dependent on something else being done

Consistency

state of being congruous; conforming to regular patterns, habits, principles, etc.

constrict

cause to shrink; cramp; crush

Contingent

depending on something not certain; conditional

Contour

the outline of a figure or shape

Contract

legal or business agreement; acquire a habit or disease

Contraindication

discouragement of the use of a treatment

Copious

abundant; plentiful

defecate

to have a bowel movement

deficit

shortage; excess of liabilities over assets

deleterious

harmful or deadly to living things

Depress

weaken; sadden

Depth

deepness; distance measured downward, inward, or backward

Deter

To prevent or discourage

deteriorating

growing worse; reducing in worth; impairing

Device

a gadget; a mechanical apparatus

Diagnosis

analysis of a present condition

Diameter

a line dividing a circle into halves; its length

Digression

a deviation or detour from the central topic or focus

dilate

expand; make larger; distend

Diligent

persistent and hardworking

dilute

weaken by a mixture of water or other liquid; reduce in strength

Discrete

separate; discontinuous

disdain

lack of respect or intense dislike

distended

dilated, expanded, or swollen

Dysfunction

impaired functioning

Elevate

raise, lift up

empathy

an understanding of another's feelings

Endogenous

something produced within the body

enervating

causing debilitation or weakness

Enhance

To improve; to increase clarity

ephemeral

lasting for a very short time

exacerbate

make more bitter, angry, or violent; irritate or aggravate

exasperate

worsen, make angry, or frustrate

excess

the state of being more or too much; a surplus or remainder

exemplary

Worthy of imitation; setting the example

exogenous

something produced outside the body

expand

increase in extent, bulk, or amount; spread or stretch out; unfold

Exposure

the state of being exposed or open to external environments

Extenuating

diminish the seriousness of something

External

located outside of something and/or apart from something

fatal

causing death or ruin

Fatigue

weariness from physical or mental exertion

Flaccid

soft, flabby

Flushed

suffused with color; washed out with a copious flow of water

fortitude

Occurring by happy chance

gaping

to be open; to have a break in continuity

Garble

confusing, not understandable

Gastrointestinal

pertaining to the stomach and intestines

gender

the classification of being male or female

Hematologic

dealing with the blood

Hydration

the act of meeting body fluid demands

hygiene

the science that deals with the preservation of health

Hyperbole

Exaggerating; making something more than it is

Hypothesis

A theory that has not yet been tested or investigated

imminent

likely to happen

impaired

made worse, damaged, or weakened

impending

the point of occurring; imminent

impetuous

undue haste without thought of consequences

Incidence

frequency or range of occurrence; extent of effects

incompatible

unable to work together

Inconsequential

something without importance or significance

inevitable

impossible to avoid or prevent from happening

infection

tainted with germs or disease