Glossary

BioScience.com.pk try the best to avoid the use of medical terms that could make it more difficult to understand the information on this website. Still, there are a number of terms that can’t be avoided and that are useful to know because they are so often used by the doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals with whom you might speak. The list below includes the terms used on BioScience.com.pk for which we have provided definitions.

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Term Definition
Vitamin

Any of a group of substances that, in very small amounts, are essential for normal growth, development, and metabolism. They cannot be synthesized in the body (with a few exceptions) and must be supplied by the diet.
Viscosity

Resistance of a fluid (e.g., plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid) to flow; thickness or stickiness of a fluid
Virus

A microorganism consisting of a nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) core and a protein coat. A virus requires a host cell to reproduce. It reproduces by infecting a host cell and taking over the nucleic acid of that host cell, making more virus nucleic acid and protein.
Virilization

Development of masculine physical characteristics in a woman
Viral load

Number of copies of viral genetic material
Vesicle

Also known as: Blister


A small raised area of the outer layer of the skin filled with a watery liquid
Venereal

Pertaining to or caused by sexual intercourse or genital contact
Vaccine

A preparation designed to induce immunity to a specific disease