Best Medical Dictionaries of 2025

Wilson Cook Avatar
Wilson Cook
Last Updated: May 11, 2023

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Medical dictionaries are essential tools for healthcare professionals, students, and anyone looking to better understand medical terminology. These dictionaries provide comprehensive definitions of medical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms used in the healthcare industry. They also offer pronunciation guides, examples of usage, and cross-referencing to related terms. Medical dictionaries are available in print and digital formats, making them easily accessible and portable. Whether you're a medical professional or a patient, having a reliable medical dictionary on hand can help you communicate more effectively and make informed decisions about your health.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

The Language of Medicine Cover #TOP 1
The Language of Medicine
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Medical Terminology & Anatomy for Coding Cover #TOP 2
Medical Terminology & Anatomy for Coding
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary Cover #TOP 3
Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Medical Dictionaries

The Language of Medicine

Chabner BA MAT, Davi-Ellen
Saunders
Apr 6, 2020
The Language of Medicine Cover
The Language of Medicine

The Language of Medicine, 12th Edition, by Davi-Ellen Chabner, is a comprehensive guide to mastering medical terminology. The book uses a proven method of learning medical terms by studying them in the context of the human body, making it easy for individuals of all educational backgrounds to understand and remember important medical terminology. This new edition features additional spotlight boxes on high-interest medical topics, updated medical scenario reports, laboratory tests, and clinical procedures, a new mini dictionary, and more. With clear illustrations, brilliant images, and practical applications, this book offers the best context for learning medical terms and concepts. Overall, The Language of Medicine is an essential resource for anyone pursuing a career in healthcare.

Medical Terminology & Anatomy for Coding

Shiland MS RHIA CCS CHDA CPC CPB CPPM, Betsy J.
Mosby
Nov 3, 2020
Medical Terminology & Anatomy for Coding Cover
Medical Terminology & Anatomy for Coding

Medical Terminology & Anatomy for Coding, 4th Edition is a comprehensive textbook that merges anatomy and physiology coverage with the latest medical terminology required by coders and coding students. It includes ICD-10 and CPT coding guidelines and notes, electronic medical records, and integrated exercises. The ICD-10-CM classification system is used to organize diseases and disorders, with well-labelled illustrations to help visualize the associated anatomy. The book also provides a new Infectious Disease Process Basics appendix that covers the terminology and physiology of infectious diseases. The updated CPT coding information and additional notes highlight connections between terminology and codes, making it an ideal reference for students and coders alike.

Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary

Venes MD MSJ, Donald
F.A. Davis Company
Feb 17, 2021
Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary Cover
Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary

Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary is the ultimate source of information for healthcare professionals, students, and enthusiasts. It is available in print, online, and mobile formats, making it accessible anytime, anywhere. With expert consulting editors and consultants from various healthcare professions, the content is up-to-date and relevant. A free 1-year subscription to Taber's Online is included with new print texts. The book is highly recommended by students and practitioners alike, for its easy-to-use sections and comprehensive coverage. Overall, Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary is an indispensable resource for anyone in the healthcare field.

Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide: An Illustrated Guide

Cohen, Barbara Janson
Jones, Shirley A
Jones & Bartlett Learning
Feb 18, 2020
Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide: An Illustrated Guide Cover
Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide: An Illustrated Guide

Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide, Ninth Edition is an essential resource for anyone pursuing a career in healthcare. The book provides a comprehensive overview of medical terminology, starting with word parts and moving on to individual body systems and diseases. The text is well-organized and easy to follow, with helpful illustrations and exercises throughout. What sets this book apart is its focus on real-world application, making it a valuable tool for both students and professionals. Overall, Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide is a must-have reference for anyone seeking to master the language of medicine.

#TOP 5

Medical Terminology: A Short Course

Davi-Ellen Chabner
Saunders
Mar 29, 2022
Medical Terminology: A Short Course Cover
Medical Terminology: A Short Course

Medical Terminology: A Short Course, 9th Edition, is an ideal resource for those who want to build a medical vocabulary quickly. The book is designed to help readers master the basics of medical terminology, including the frequently encountered suffixes, prefixes, and word roots. The text/workbook format of the book allows readers to practice and interact with medical terminology on almost every page through exercises, labeling, and pronunciations. The book also includes case studies and real-world vignettes to demonstrate how medical terms are used in practice. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to learn medical terminology quickly and easily.

#TOP 6

Medical Terminology Systems: A Body Systems Approach

Gylys MEd CMA-A (AAMA), Barbara A.
Wedding MEd MT(ASCP) CMA (AAMA) CPC (AAPC), Mary Ellen
F.A. Davis Company
Apr 26, 2017
Medical Terminology Systems: A Body Systems Approach Cover
Medical Terminology Systems: A Body Systems Approach

Medical Terminology Systems: A Body Systems Approach is an 8th edition book that offers a comprehensive and interactive method for learning medical terminology. The book uses a word-building and body systems approach that guides learners through the process of understanding the parts of words, roots, combining forms, suffixes, and prefixes. The Medical Language Lab that comes with the book uses proven language methodology that guides learners from basic to advanced levels of proficiency. The book is highly recommended for medical students and professionals who want to master the language of medicine.

#TOP 7

Exploring Medical Language: A Student-Directed Approach

LaFleur Brooks RN BEd, Myrna
LaFleur Brooks MA Med, Danielle
Levinsky MD, Dale M
Mosby
Mar 29, 2021
Exploring Medical Language: A Student-Directed Approach Cover
Exploring Medical Language: A Student-Directed Approach

Exploring Medical Language: A Student-Directed Approach is a comprehensive and interactive text/workbook designed to help readers master medical terms at their own pace. Authored by renowned educators Danielle LaFleur Brooks, Myrna LaFleur Brooks, and Dale Levinsky, this 11th edition book is organized by body system and features exercises that make it easy to understand medical terminology. The book introduces word parts (prefix, suffix, word root, and combining vowel) and systematically builds words by combining them. Readers can also practice with flashcards and interactive exercises on the Evolve website. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to gain fluency in medical language and communicate effectively in the healthcare setting.

#TOP 8

Mosby's Medical Dictionary

Mosby
Mosby
Jul 20, 2021
Mosby's Medical Dictionary Cover
Mosby's Medical Dictionary

Mosby's Medical Dictionary is a comprehensive reference for students, nurses, and healthcare professionals. With over 56,000 authoritative definitions and 2,450 illustrations, this dictionary is twice as informative as other medical dictionaries. It includes appendixes for frequently used information, and the enhanced eBook version has animations, audio pronunciations, and more. The alphabetical organization makes it easy to find key terms and definitions. The book is an indispensable reference for anyone in the healthcare industry. Overall, Mosby's Medical Dictionary is an excellent resource that stands out for its comprehensive and updated information, making it a must-have for healthcare professionals.

#TOP 9

Medical Terminology For Dummies

Henderson, Beverley
Dorsey, Jennifer L.
For Dummies
Dec 5, 2019
Medical Terminology For Dummies Cover
Medical Terminology For Dummies

Medical Terminology For Dummies is an essential resource for healthcare professionals looking to improve their understanding of medical terminology. The book offers a variety of methods to memorize words and their meanings, including quizzes, flashcards, and games, making it an engaging and practical tool. The guide covers Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes, as well as common jargon used in hospitals, pharmacies, and labs. The anatomical terms for all the systems of the body are also included. Overall, Medical Terminology For Dummies is a valuable reference for anyone in the healthcare field or those doing business with healthcare.

Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged

Philip Babcock Gove
Merriam-Webster, Inc.
May 11, 1993
Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged Cover
Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged

The Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged is the largest and most comprehensive American dictionary available in print. It includes over 476,000 entries, with an expanded and updated Addenda Section of new words and meanings. This dictionary is an impressive volume that provides clear definitions, comprehensive etymologies, interesting asides, literary usage quotes, and a comfortable typeface. With over 150 years of accumulated scholarship, the dictionary collects 10,000,000 usage examples that accurately provide definitions. The book is a great investment for anyone who wants to expand their vocabulary and knowledge of the English language.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the best medical dictionary?

Best Medical Dictionaries For Nurses. Mosby's Medical Dictionary.Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary.Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary.The Language of Medicine.Medical Terminology Workbook.Medical Terminology Simplified.Medical Terminology Systems.Medical Terminology For Dummies.

2. Which dictionary is best for medical students?

Steadman's Medical Dictionary is the standard medical dictionary in English for medical professionals.

Editor's Notes

During our medical dictionary research, we found 1,000+ medical dictionary products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 47,455 customer reviews through our big data system to write the medical dictionaries list. We found that most customers choose medical dictionaries with an average price of $72.22.

Written by
Wilson Cook Avatar

Wilson Cook is a talented writer who has an MFA in creative writing from Williams College and has published more than 50 books acquired by hundreds of thousands of people from various countries by now. He is an inveterate reading lover as he has read a vast amount of books since childhood.