Words used to describe illnesses, diseases and medical conditions
acute
adjective
an acute illness is one that becomes very bad very quickly
advanced
adjective
an advanced illness is difficult or impossible to treat because it has had time to develop completely
asymptomatic
adjective
if a disease or person is asymptomatic, they show no physical signs of a medical problem
autoimmune
adjective
relating to conditions and diseases in which normal cells are attacked by someone’s immune system (=parts of the body that fight disease)
benign
adjective
a benign lump in your body or a benign disease is not cancer and will not kill you
catching
adjective
an illness, mood, or idea that is catching spreads quickly to other people
chronic
adjective
a chronic illness or chronic pain is serious and lasts for a long time. A serious illness or pain that lasts only for a short time is described as acute
clinical
adjective
relating to an illness
communicable
adjective
a communicable disease can be passed from one person or animal to another
communicable
adjective
able to be communicated to someone else
congenital
adjective
a congenital medical condition is one that a person has had since they were born
congenital
adjective
if someone has a congenital fault, they have always had it
contagious
adjective
a contagious disease spreads from one person to another through touch or through the air
crippling
adjective
causing someone to be physically disabled, especially unable to walk
curable
adjective
possible to cure
degenerative
adjective
a degenerative disease is one that gradually gets worse
depressive
adjective
relating to depression, or suffering from depression
disabling
adjective
if a condition or injury is disabling, it affects your body or your brain and makes you unable to use it properly
epidemic
adjective
happening a lot and affecting many people
febrile
adjective
relating to a fever
first-degree
adjective
a first-degree burn is the least serious type
focal
adjective
a focal disease or infection is limited to one part of the body
fungal
adjective
caused by a fungus
generalized
adjective
affecting most of the body rather than just one area
inactive
adjective
an inactive disease or other threat is present but not doing anything at this time
incurable
adjective
not able to be cured
infantile
adjective
affecting young children
infectious
adjective
an infectious disease is one that can spread from one person to another
inflammatory
adjective
causing inflammation in a part of your body
inoperable
adjective
an inoperable medical condition cannot be cured or treated by an operation
invasive
adjective
an invasive disease spreads within the body and is difficult to treat
life-threatening
adjective
likely to cause someone to die
local
adjective
affecting only a small area of your body
low-grade
adjective
a low-grade medical condition is not very serious
malignant
adjective
a malignant tumour consists of cancer cells that can spread in the body
mild
adjective
a mild illness or injury is one that is not serious
morbid
adjective
relating to or caused by disease
mortal
adjective
serious enough to cause death
multiple
adjective
affecting several parts of your body
nervous
adjective
a nervous illness or medical condition is caused by worry, or by working too hard, so that you feel excited when you want to relax
neurodegenerative
adjective
relating to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease that cause someone’s nerves to be damaged
niggling
adjective
a niggling injury is not very serious but is difficult to treat or cure
non-invasive
adjective
a non-invasive illness does not spread to other parts of your body
non-specific
adjective
not relating to or not caused by one particular thing
non-specific
adjective
a non-specific illness or medical condition may have more than one cause
notifiable
adjective
if a disease is notifiable, new cases of it must be reported to a public health authority
operable
adjective
an operable disease can be cured by a medical operation
opportunistic
adjective
an opportunistic disease or infection is one that attacks people who are already ill and who have a very weak immune system
parasitic
adjective
a parasitic disease is caused by parasites living inside your body
pathological
adjective
caused by disease
perforated
adjective
used about an organ or tube inside your body that has a small hole or cut in its surface
primary
adjective
in the first stage of development
psychiatric
adjective
involving mental illness
psychosomatic
adjective
a psychosomatic illness is caused by a problem in your mind
quiescent
adjective
a quiescent disease or illness is not getting worse
refractory
adjective
a refractory illness does not improve despite medical treatment
rheumatic
adjective
relating to or affected by rheumatism
second-degree
adjective
a second-degree burn is more serious than a first-degree burn but not as serious as a third-degree burn
self-induced
adjective
a self-induced medical condition is one that you cause yourself
self-inflicted
adjective
a self-inflicted injury, condition etc is one that you cause yourself
severe
adjective
a severe pain, injury, or illness is serious and unpleasant
sporadic
adjective
a sporadic disease appears in separate areas of a country or region with no clear connection between the cases
strangulated
adjective
a strangulated part of your body does not have enough blood flowing to it
stubborn
adjective
difficult to cure or remove
suspected
adjective
a suspected injury is one that doctors think you have, but they are not sure yet
systemic
adjective
affecting your whole body
terminal
adjective
a terminal illness cannot be cured and will cause someone to die, usually slowly
terminal
adjective
continuing to get worse until the end is reached
third-degree
adjective
a third-degree burn is the most serious type
traumatic
adjective
a traumatic injury causes serious damage to the body
treatable
adjective
a treatable illness or medical condition can be cured by medical treatment
tubercular
adjective
relating to or affected by tuberculosis
unresponsive
adjective
an unresponsive illness does not improve when doctors treat it
untreated
adjective
receiving no medical treatment
viral
adjective
caused by or relating to a virus
virulent
adjective
a virulent illness is very dangerous, and affects people very quickly
wasting
adjective
a wasting disease makes you thin, weak, and tired
waterborne
adjective
a waterborne disease is spread through water
