View All Celiac Disease Articles

Definitions provided by:
Celiac Disease Glossary

Terms used to explain Celiac Disease can sometimes be confusing. To help you fully understand the articles and features related to this very important health topic, we have compiled a glossary of terms that can help.

Allergy

al*ler*gy
Pronunciation: \ˈal-ər-jē\


Function: noun
pl -gies

1: altered bodily reactivity (as hypersensitivity) to an antigen in response to a first exposure <his bee-venom allergy may render a second sting fatal>
2: exaggerated or pathological reaction (as by sneezing, respiratory embarrassment, itching, or skin rashes) to substances, situations, or physical states that are without comparable effect on the average individual
3: medical practice concerned with allergies

Balance

bal*ance
Pronunciation: \ˈbal-ən(t)s\


Function: noun

1: an instrument for weighing
2: mental and emotional steadiness
3 a: the relation in physiology between the intake of a particular nutrient and its excretion used with positive when the nutrient is in excess of the bodily metabolic requirement and with negative when dietary inadequacy and withdrawal of bodily reserves is presentsee nitrogen balance water balance
b: the maintenance (as in laboratory cultures) of a population at about the same condition and level

Colitis

co*li*tis
Pronunciation: \kō-ˈlīt-əs, kə-\


Function: noun
: inflammation of the colon see ulcerative colitis

Diarrhea

di*ar*rhea
Function: noun
: abnormally frequent intestinal evacuations with more or less fluid stools

Fe

Fe
Function: symbol
iron

Flatulence

flat*u*lence
Pronunciation: \ˈflach-ə-lən(t)s\


Function: noun
: the quality or state of being flatulent

Gastroenteritis

gas*tro*en*ter*i*tis
Pronunciation: \-ˌent-ə-ˈrīt-əs\


Function: noun
pl -en*ter*it*i*des
Pronunciation: \-ˈrit-ə-ˌdēz\
: inflammation of the lining membrane of the stomach and the intestines

Gliadin

gli*a*din
Pronunciation: \ˈglī-əd-ən\


Function: noun
: see: prolamin; esp: one obtained by alcoholic extraction of gluten from wheat and rye

Gluten

glu*ten
Pronunciation: \ˈglüt-ən\


Function: noun
: a gluey protein substance esp. of wheat flour that causes dough to be sticky

Immune System

immune system
Function: noun
: the bodily system that protects the body from foreign substances, cells, and tissues by producing the immune response and that includes esp. the thymus, spleen, lymph nodes, special deposits of lymphoid tissue (as in the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow), lymphocytes including the B cells and T cells, and antibodies

Lactase

lac*tase
Pronunciation: \ˈlak-ˌtās, -ˌtāz\


Function: noun
: an enzyme that hydrolyzes esp. lactose to glucose and galactose and occurs esp. in the intestines of young mammals and in yeasts

Lumen

lu*men
Pronunciation: \ˈlü-mən\


Function: noun
pl lu*mi*na
Pronunciation: \-mə-nə\
or lumens

1: the cavity of a tubular organ <the lumen of a blood vessel>
2: the bore of a tube (as of a hollow needle or catheter)
3: a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a steradian by a uniform point source of one candle intensity

Magnesium

mag*ne*sium
Pronunciation: \mag-ˈnē-zē-əm, -zhəm\


Function: noun
: a silver-white light malleable ductile metallic element that occurs abundantly in nature (as in bones and seeds and in the form of chlorophyll in the green parts of plants) and is used in metallurgical and chemical processes, in photography, in signaling, and in the manufacture of pyrotechnics because of the intense white light it produces on burning, and in construction esp. in the form of light alloys symbol Mgsee element table

Malabsorption

mal*ab*sorp*tion
Pronunciation: \ˌmal-əb-ˈsorp-shən, -ˈzorp-\


Function: noun
: faulty absorption of nutrient materials from the alimentary canal —called also malassimilation

Pancreatitis

pan*cre*ati*tis
Pronunciation: \ˌpaŋ-krē-ə-ˈtīt-əs, ˌpan-\



Function: noun
1: inflammation of the pancreas

Parenteral

1par*en*ter*al
Pronunciation: \pə-ˈrent-ə-rəl\


Function: adjective
: situated or occurring outside the intestine <parenteral[1] drug administration by intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous injection> ; esp: introduced otherwise than by way of the intestines <enteric versus parenteral[1] feeding>

Small Bowel

small bowel
Pronunciation: \ˈsmol-\


Function: noun
: see: small intestine

Stool

stool
Pronunciation: \ˈstül\


Function: noun
: a discharge of fecal matter

Stricture

stric*ture
Pronunciation: \ˈstrik-chər\


Function: noun
: an abnormal narrowing of a bodily passage (as from inflammation, cancer, or the formation of scar tissue) <esophageal stricture> ; also: the narrowed part

Audio pronunciation for hear it again
Having trouble hearing a pronunciation?
Click here to listen with your default audio player.
© 2011 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Inc.


Take a Personalized Health Test

How well are you controlling your symptoms?

Celiac Disease Features

Celiac Disease Related Conditions


Health News Today

Feed