Okuzeka
Medicine vocabulary · Symptoms and Signs

Jaundice

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˈdʒɔːndɪs/nounCommon term

In medicine, jaundice means: Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, caused by a build-up of bilirubin in the blood.

In Turkish: sarılık, ikter

How it is used

A sign, not a disease. Doctors look for it in the whites of the eyes (sclera) and ask about dark urine, pale stools and itching. Causes are grouped as pre-hepatic, hepatic and post-hepatic (obstructive). Newborn jaundice is common in the first days of life.

Example sentences

  1. He presented with painless jaundice and weight loss, which is worrying for pancreatic cancer.

  2. On examination she is clinically jaundiced.

Common collocations

  • obstructive jaundice
  • neonatal jaundice
  • painless jaundice
  • clinically jaundiced
  • liver function testsA group of blood tests, such as ALT, ALP, bilirubin and albumin, that show whether the liver is inflamed, blocked or working poorly.
  • signEvidence of disease that a doctor can see, feel, hear or measure, such as a rash, a heart murmur or a high temperature, rather than something the patient reports.
  • ultrasoundA scan that uses high-frequency sound waves to make live pictures of organs, blood vessels or a baby in the womb, without using radiation.
  • weight lossA drop in body weight; when it happens without trying, it can be a sign of a serious illness such as cancer or an overactive thyroid.

More terms: Symptoms and Signs

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.