Medical English vocabulary: 25 words for doctors and patients
B1–B225 words
Medical appointments are high-stakes conversations where a single misunderstood word matters. This list covers the vocabulary that comes up between a patient and a doctor in English-speaking healthcare, from booking to prescription.
Where you will use it: Doctor's appointments, hospitals and pharmacies.
Medical English — The word list
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| symptom | A sign that you may be ill.“A cough is the most common symptom.” |
| prescription | A doctor's written order for medicine.“Take this prescription to the pharmacy.” |
| referral | Being sent to a specialist.“My GP gave me a referral to a cardiologist.” |
| GP | A general practitioner, your family doctor.“Book an appointment with your GP first.” |
| dosage | How much medicine to take and how often.“Follow the dosage on the label.” |
| side effect | An unwanted effect of a medicine.“Drowsiness is a common side effect.” |
| swelling | An area that has become larger because of injury.“There's some swelling around the ankle.” |
| allergic to | Having a bad reaction to something.“I'm allergic to penicillin.” |
| diagnosis | Identifying what illness someone has.“The diagnosis took two visits.” |
| check-up | A routine medical examination.“I go for a check-up every year.” |
| insurance cover | What your health policy pays for.“Does my insurance cover physiotherapy?” |
| recover | To become healthy again.“She recovered fully after a month.” |
| appointment | An arranged time to see a healthcare professional.“I have a doctor's appointment at two.” |
| blood pressure | The force of blood moving through the body.“The nurse checked my blood pressure.” |
| chronic | Continuing for a long time.“He lives with chronic back pain.” |
| infection | An illness caused by harmful organisms.“The antibiotics treated the infection.” |
| inflammation | Redness, heat or swelling in the body.“The scan showed joint inflammation.” |
| medical history | A record of past health and treatment.“The doctor asked about my medical history.” |
| over-the-counter | Available without a prescription.“This medicine is sold over-the-counter.” |
| pain relief | Treatment that reduces pain.“The nurse offered pain relief.” |
| rash | An area of irritated or red skin.“A rash appeared on my arm.” |
| specialist | A doctor focused on one area of medicine.“My GP referred me to a specialist.” |
| treatment | Medical care given for an illness or injury.“The treatment lasts six weeks.” |
| vaccination | A medicine that protects against disease.“Ask whether you need a travel vaccination.” |
| ward | A section of a hospital for patients.“She was moved to the surgical ward.” |
Useful learning tips
- Learn in small groupsTake five words at a time and review them before adding more.
- Say the examples aloudReading each sentence aloud connects spelling, sound and meaning.
- Write your own sentenceUse each word in a true sentence about your life or work.
How to study this list
Add five or six of these words a day rather than the whole list at once, keep the example sentence on the card, and review them when they come due. WordNest schedules each word across seven growing intervals — same day, then 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days — so the list is still with you months later. Read how spaced repetition works if you want the reasoning behind those numbers.
Studying medical english pairs well with our Aviation English Vocabulary, Travel English and B2 English vocabulary, or browse all free English word lists.
Related guides
Questions about this list
How can I practise Medical English?
Start with five words and say each example aloud. Then recall the word from its meaning and review it over several days.
Where can I use Medical English?
Doctor's appointments, hospitals and pharmacies.
How many words are in this list?
This list contains 25 English words with definitions and example sentences. It is a starting set, not a complete syllabus.
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