GLOSSARY 393 



Fissure. A cleft or groove, as a fissure of the brain surface. 



Fistula. A pipe. A tube-like passage caused by disease. 



Flava. Plural of flavus, yellow. Applied to elastic ligaments which contain yellow 



elastic tissue. 



Flexion. Bending. Flexure, a bend. 

 Follicle. A very small sac (or bag) containing a secretion. 

 Fontanelle. A little spring. A membranous spot in the infant's skull; the name 



suggested by the rising and falling caused by the child's respirations. 

 Foramen. A hole. Plural, foramina. 

 Fossa. A depression or concavity. 

 Fourchette. A little fork. 

 Fovea. A small pit. The fovea cenlralis is a tiny depression in the macula lutea of 



the retina. 

 Frenum. A curb or bridle. The frenum lingua is the fold of mucous membrane 



attaching the tongue to the floor of the mouth. 

 Fundus. The base. 



Fungiform. Shaped like a fungus or mushroom. 

 Fusiform. Spindle-shaped. 



Ganglion. A knot. (Plural, ganglia.) A collection of nerve cells. 

 Gaster. The stomach. Gastric, belonging to the stomach or gaster. 

 Gastrocnemius. The belly of the leg. The prominent muscle of the calf of the leg. 

 Genioglossus. Belonging to the chin and tongue. 

 Genu. A knee. 



Glabella. A little smooth space. The smooth space between the eyebrows. 

 Gladiolus. A little sword. The body of the sternum. 

 Gland. A collection of cells which can form a secretion or an excretion. 

 Glans. The head of the clitoris or penis. 



Glenoid. Having the form of a shallow cavity. Belonging to a cavity. 

 Glossopharyngeal. Belonging to the tongue and pharynx. 

 Glottis. The upper opening of the larynx. Epiglottis, ,the leaf-shaped cartilage 



upon the upper border of the larynx. 

 Glucose. Grape sugar. Dextrose. 

 Gluteus. Belonging to the gluteus or buttock. 

 Glycogen. A white substance formed principally in the liver. Sometimes called 



animal starch. 



Gustatory. Associated with the sense of taste. 

 Gyre. From gyrus, a circle. A convolution (referring to the convolutions of the 



brain). 



Haversian. Name applied to the tiny canals in bone tissue, from the English anato- 

 mist Havers. 



Hepatic. Belonging to the liver or hepar. 

 Hemoglobin. The oxygen-carrying substance of red blood cells, to which their color 



is due. 



Hemolysis. Destruction of red blood cells. 

 Hemorrhoidal. From a word meaning flowing with blood. Pertaining to a hemor- 



rhoid or pile. 

 Hilum. Literally, a little thing. Applied to the depression where vessels enter and 



leave an organ. 



Hormones. Chemical substances (character unknown), formed (probably) in duct- 

 less glands, and conveyed by the blood to other organs, to influence their 

 activity. 



Hyaline. Resembling glass. Hyaloid has a similar meaning. 

 Hydration. Saturating with water. 

 Hydrocephalus. A collection of fluid either within the ventricles or outside of the 



brain. 



Hyoid. U-shaped, as the hyoid bone. 

 Hypertrophy. Over-growth. Derived from two Greek words meaning too much 



nourishment. 

 Hypochondrium. Under the cartilage. The hypochondriac region is under the 



cartilages of ribs. (Hypo- under.) 



Hypodermoclysis. Injection of fluid under the skin in quantity. 

 Hypogastric. Under the stomach. 

 Hypoglossal. Under the tongue. 



