Dictionary

compound fracture See fracture, compound.

compound microscope A microscope that consists of two microscopes in series, the first serving as the ocular lens (close to the eye) and the second serving as the objective lens (close to the object to be viewed).

compress Cloth or another material applied under pressure to an area of the skin and held in place for a period of time. A compress can be any temperature, and it can be dry or wet. It may also be impregnated with medication or an herbal remedy. Most compresses are used to relieve inflammation.

compression fracture See fracture, compression.

computed tomography scan See CAT scan.

computerized axial tomography scan See CAT scan.

conception 1 The union of a sperm and an egg to create the first cell of a new organism. The term conception has also been used to imply the implantation of the blastocyst, the formation of a viable zygote, and the onset of pregnancy. 2 Related to the formulation or understanding of an idea. See…

concussion A traumatic injury to soft tissue, usually the brain, as a result of a violent blow, shaking, or spinning. A brain concussion can cause immediate but temporary impairment of brain functions, such as thinking, vision, equilibrium, and consciousness. After a person has had a concussion, he or she is at increased risk for recurrence….

conditioning 1 Exercise and practice to build up the body for either improved performance, as in physical therapy, or in preparation for sports performance. 2 The development of certain predictable behavior as a result of repetitive activity or exposure.

conditioning, Pavlovian Use of a system of rewards and punishments to influence behavior. Named after the Russian physiologist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, who conditioned dogs to respond in what proved to be a predictable manner by giving them rewards.

colorblindness The inability to perceive colors in a normal fashion. The most common forms of colorblindness are inherited as sex-linked (Xlinked) recessive traits. Females are carriers and males are affected. As a result, approximately 1 in 8 males is colorblind, compared to fewer than 1 in 100 females. The most common form of colorblindness is…

colorectal Related to the colon and/or rectum.