HESI Vocab
Abstain - To voluntarily refrain from something. (EX: The dental hygienist instructed the patient to
abstain from smoking to improve his breath odor.)
Abrupt - Sudden and possibly unexpected
Accolade - Tribute or honor.
Accountable - To be responsible. (EX: Paramedics are accountable for maintaining up-to-date knowledge
or resuscitation techniques.)
Acute - Sudden, intense.
Adhere - To hold fast or stick together. (EX: The tape must adhere to the patient's skin to hold the
bandage in place.)
Adverse - Undesired, possibly harmful. (EX: Vomiting is an adverse effect of many medications.)
Aegis - Control, protection, patronage
Aggregate - A sum total of many things.
Aggrieved - Hurt or angry.
Ambivalent - Uncertain, having contradictory feelings.
Anachronism - A thing of the past.
,Antidote - Cure or remedy. "I need an antidote for this headache"
Alleviate - Reduce. "This medicine is alleviating my pain"
Apply - To place, put on, or spread something.
Assent - To give consent, to agree.
Audible - Able to be heard. (EX: The respiratory therapist noted the patient's audible wheezing as a
symptom of the patient's asthma.
Bacteria - Single-celled, microscopic organisms.
Barrage - Bombardment, onslaught, continuous attack
Bearing - Manner, direction, or influence.
Benign - Not harmful.
Bilateral - Present on two sides.
Callous - Heartless, cruel, or pitiless.
Cardiac - Of or relating to the heart.
, Cataract - Medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in
blurred vision.
Cavity - An opening or an empty area.
Cease - Come to an end or bring to an end.
Chronology - Order of events as they occurred; timeline.
Compensatory - Offsetting; diminishes or balances the effect of a contrary one; corrective.
Concave - Rounded inward.
Concise - Brief, to the point.
Consistency - Degree of viscosity; how thick or thin a fluid is in relation to how it flows.
Constitute - To establish, create, or organize.
Constrict - To draw together or become smaller.
Contingent - Dependent, reliant.
Contraindication - A reason something is not advisable or should not be done.
Convoluted - To be complex.
Abstain - To voluntarily refrain from something. (EX: The dental hygienist instructed the patient to
abstain from smoking to improve his breath odor.)
Abrupt - Sudden and possibly unexpected
Accolade - Tribute or honor.
Accountable - To be responsible. (EX: Paramedics are accountable for maintaining up-to-date knowledge
or resuscitation techniques.)
Acute - Sudden, intense.
Adhere - To hold fast or stick together. (EX: The tape must adhere to the patient's skin to hold the
bandage in place.)
Adverse - Undesired, possibly harmful. (EX: Vomiting is an adverse effect of many medications.)
Aegis - Control, protection, patronage
Aggregate - A sum total of many things.
Aggrieved - Hurt or angry.
Ambivalent - Uncertain, having contradictory feelings.
Anachronism - A thing of the past.
,Antidote - Cure or remedy. "I need an antidote for this headache"
Alleviate - Reduce. "This medicine is alleviating my pain"
Apply - To place, put on, or spread something.
Assent - To give consent, to agree.
Audible - Able to be heard. (EX: The respiratory therapist noted the patient's audible wheezing as a
symptom of the patient's asthma.
Bacteria - Single-celled, microscopic organisms.
Barrage - Bombardment, onslaught, continuous attack
Bearing - Manner, direction, or influence.
Benign - Not harmful.
Bilateral - Present on two sides.
Callous - Heartless, cruel, or pitiless.
Cardiac - Of or relating to the heart.
, Cataract - Medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in
blurred vision.
Cavity - An opening or an empty area.
Cease - Come to an end or bring to an end.
Chronology - Order of events as they occurred; timeline.
Compensatory - Offsetting; diminishes or balances the effect of a contrary one; corrective.
Concave - Rounded inward.
Concise - Brief, to the point.
Consistency - Degree of viscosity; how thick or thin a fluid is in relation to how it flows.
Constitute - To establish, create, or organize.
Constrict - To draw together or become smaller.
Contingent - Dependent, reliant.
Contraindication - A reason something is not advisable or should not be done.
Convoluted - To be complex.
