Medical dictionary
Encyclopedia
A medical dictionary is a lexicon
for words used in medicine
. The three major English language
medical dictionaries are Stedman's, Taber's
, and Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary. Other significant medical dictionaries are distributed by Elsevier
, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, and their French division Masson
. Dictionaries often have multiple versions, with content adapted for different user groups. For example Stedman's Concise Medical Dictionary and Dorland's are for general use and allied health care, while the full text editions are reference works used by medical students, doctors, and health professionals.
Many of the dictionaries mentioned above are available online, and other electronic dictionaries for medicine are available as downloadable software packages for Apple Macintosh and Windows computers, PDA
s, and smartphone
s or as CD-ROM
, as well as bilingual dictionaries and translation dictionaries.
in the year 1288, was printed by Antonius Zarotus at Milan in 1473. Referring to a copy held in the library
of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Henry wrote in 1905 that "It is the first edition of the first medical dictionary." By the time of Antonio Guaineri and Savonarola, this work was used alongside others by Oribasius
, Isidore of Seville
, Mondino dei Liuzzi, Serapion
, and Pietro d'Abano
. Then, as now, writers struggled with the terminology used in various translations from earlier Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic works. Later works by Jacques Desparts and Jacopo Berengario da Carpi
continued building on the Synonyma.
s should to the greatest extent possible be:
Lexicon
In linguistics, the lexicon of a language is its vocabulary, including its words and expressions. A lexicon is also a synonym of the word thesaurus. More formally, it is a language's inventory of lexemes. Coined in English 1603, the word "lexicon" derives from the Greek "λεξικόν" , neut...
for words used in medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. The three major English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
medical dictionaries are Stedman's, Taber's
Taber's
Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary is an encyclopedic medical dictionary published by F.A. Davis since 1940 by Clarence Wilbur Taber. Taber's is a recommended medical reference book for libraries and attorneys It is available in print, online, and in multiple mobile device formats. The 21st...
, and Dorland's Pocket Medical Dictionary. Other significant medical dictionaries are distributed by Elsevier
Elsevier
Elsevier is a publishing company which publishes medical and scientific literature. It is a part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has operations in the United Kingdom, USA and elsewhere....
, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, and their French division Masson
Masson (publisher)
Masson was a French publisher specialised in medical and scientific collections. In 1987, Masson purchased Armand Colin. In turn, it became part of the City Group in 1994...
. Dictionaries often have multiple versions, with content adapted for different user groups. For example Stedman's Concise Medical Dictionary and Dorland's are for general use and allied health care, while the full text editions are reference works used by medical students, doctors, and health professionals.
Many of the dictionaries mentioned above are available online, and other electronic dictionaries for medicine are available as downloadable software packages for Apple Macintosh and Windows computers, PDA
PDA
A PDA is most commonly a Personal digital assistant, also known as a Personal data assistant, a mobile electronic device.PDA may also refer to:In science, medicine and technology:...
s, and smartphone
Smartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
s or as CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
, as well as bilingual dictionaries and translation dictionaries.
History
The Synonyma Simonis Genuensis (the Synonyms of Simon of Genoa), attributed to the physician to Pope Nicholas IVPope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
in the year 1288, was printed by Antonius Zarotus at Milan in 1473. Referring to a copy held in the library
of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Henry wrote in 1905 that "It is the first edition of the first medical dictionary." By the time of Antonio Guaineri and Savonarola, this work was used alongside others by Oribasius
Oribasius
Oribasius or Oreibasius was a Greek medical writer and the personal physician of the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate. He studied at Alexandria under physician Zeno of Cyprus before joining Julian's retinue. He was involved in Julian's coronation in 361, and remained with the emperor until...
, Isidore of Seville
Isidore of Seville
Saint Isidore of Seville served as Archbishop of Seville for more than three decades and is considered, as the historian Montalembert put it in an oft-quoted phrase, "le dernier savant du monde ancien"...
, Mondino dei Liuzzi, Serapion
Serapion
-Physicians:*Serapion of Alexandria , Greek physician*Yahya ibn Sarafyun , also known as Serapion the Elder or Johannes Serapion, Christian physician who wrote two medical compilations in Syriac...
, and Pietro d'Abano
Pietro d'Abano
Pietro d'Abano also known as Petrus De Apono or Aponensis was an Italian philosopher, astrologer and professor of medicine in Padua. He was born in the Italian town from which he takes his name, now Abano Terme. He gained fame by writing Conciliator Differentiarum, quæ inter Philosophos et Medicos...
. Then, as now, writers struggled with the terminology used in various translations from earlier Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Arabic works. Later works by Jacques Desparts and Jacopo Berengario da Carpi
Jacopo Berengario da Carpi
Jacopo Berengario da Carpi was an Italian physician. His book "Anatomia Carpi" published in 1535 made him the most important anatomist before Andreas Vesalius.-Early years:Jacopo Berengario da Carpi was the son of a surgeon...
continued building on the Synonyma.
Definitions
In medical dictionaries, definitionDefinition
A definition is a passage that explains the meaning of a term , or a type of thing. The term to be defined is the definiendum. A term may have many different senses or meanings...
s should to the greatest extent possible be:
- Simple and easy to understand, preferably even by the general public
- Useful clinically or in related areas where the definition will be used.
- Specific, that is, by reading the definition only, it should ideally not be possible to refer to any other entity than the definiendum.
- Measurable
- Reflecting current scientific knowledge