| Term | Definition | Pronunciation |
| V | volt | |
| V/Q | ventilation/perfusion | |
| VA | visual acuity | |
| vacc | vaccination | |
| vaccination | Administration of vaccines to stimulate the host's immune response. | |
| vaccine | A suspension of killed or attenuated microorganisms administered for the prevention or treatment of infection. | |
| VAD | venous assist device | |
| vag/o | vagus nerve | |
| vagin/o | vagina | |
| vagina | An muscular tube connecting the cervix of the uterus to the vulva and exterior of the body. | vah-ji´nah |
| vaginal | Pertaining to the vagina. | |
| vaginitis | Inflammation of the vagina marked by pain and a purulent discharge. | |
| vagus nerve | The tenth cranial nerve. | |
| valsalva maneuver | Forced expiratory effort against a closed windpipe, impeding the return of venous blood to the heart. | vahl-sahl'vă |
| valv/o | valve | |
| varic/o | varices (swollen veins) | |
| varicella | Primary infection causes chickenpox; reactivation causes herpes zoster. | var″ĭ-sel´ah |
| varicocele | Abnormal enlargement of the veins of the spermatic cord. | var´ĭ-ko-sēl″ |
| varicose veins | Enlarged, twisted veins. | var´ĭ-kōs |
| vas/o | vessel | |
| vascul/o | blood vessel | |
| vascular | Pertaining to blood vessels. | |
| vasculitis | Inflammation of a blood vessel. | vas″ku-li´tis |
| vasectomy | Surgical removal of the ductus deferens usually as a means of sterilization. | |
| vasoconstriction | Narrowing of blood vessels. | |
| vasoconstrictor | Drugs used to cause constriction of the blood vessels. | vaso-kon-strik´ter |
| vasodilation | Widening of blood vessels. | |
| vasodilator | Drugs used to cause dilation of the blood vessels. | vas″o-di-la´tor |
| vasovasostomy | A surgical procedure in which the effects of a vasectomy (male sterilization) are reversed. | vas″o-vah-sos´tah-me |
| VC | vital capacity | |
| VCT | venous clotting time= | |
| VD | venereal disease | |
| vector | An organism, such as a mosquito or tick, that spreads disease from one host to another. | |
| veins | The vessels carrying blood away from the capillary beds. | |
| ven/o | vein | |
| venae cavae | The two venous trunks which returns blood to the heart. Inferior venae cavae receives blood from the lower body while superior venae cavae returns blood from the upper body.. | |
| venere/o | sexual intercourse | |
| venoms | Poisonous animal secretions forming fluid mixtures of many different enzymes, toxins, and other substances. | |
| venous insufficiency | Impaired venous blood flow or venous return (venous stasis), usually caused by inadequate venous valves. Venous insufficiency often occurs in the legs. | |
| venous thrombosis | The formation or presence of a blood clot within a vein. | |
| ventilators | Mechanical devices used to assist respiration. | |
| ventr/o | front, belly side | |
| ventral | Pertaining to the belly or front of the body. | |
| ventricles | The two large heart chambers that receive blood from the atria and pump it out to the systemic and pulmonary circulatory systems. | ven´trĭ-k'lz |
| ventricul/o | ventricle | |
| ventricular fibrillation | The uncoordinated, rapid firing of electrical impulses (400-600/min) in the ventricles. This ventricular quivering prevents cardiac output. Can results in unconsciousness and death if not immediately treated. | ven-trik´u-ler |
| ventricular flutter | Rapid, unstable ventricular tachycardia (150-300 beats/min) with a large sine-wave appearance. If untreated, ventricular flutter typically progresses to ventricular fibrillation. | ven-trik´u-ler |
| ventricular tachycardia | Fast but regular heart rhythm originating in the ventricles. Often caused by heart disease, but may also occur in young people. Some medications and nonprescription decongestants can trigger ventricular tachycardia. | ven-trik´u-ler |
| venul/o | venule (small vein in lungs) | |
| verm/i | worm, wormlike | |
| verrucae | Plantar warts that commonly occur on the soles of the feet or around the toe area. | |
| vertebrae | The bones or segments composing the spinal column, | ver'te-bra |
| vertebrate | An animal with a spinal cord surrounded by cartilage or bone | |
| vertigo | A feeling of dizziness and disorientation. | ver´tĭ-go |
| vesic/o | bladder, blister | |
| vesicul/o | vesicle | |
| vestibul/o | vestibule | |
| vestiges | A trace of something, usually a nonfunctioning structure or a behavior, that is a remnant of our evolutionary history. | |
| vestigial | Pertaining to vestiges. | |
| VF | ventricular fibrillation | |
| Vf (2) | field of vision | |
| Vfib | ventricular fibrillation | |
| vipoma | An endocrine tumor that secretes vasoactive intestinal peptide, that causes vasodilation, relaxation of smooth muscles, watery diarrhea, hypokalemia and hypochlorhydria. | |
| vir/o | virus | |
| viral | Pertaining to or caused by a virus. | |
| viremia | The presence of viruses in the blood. | |
| virion | The compete viral particle. | |
| virology | The study of the structure, growth, function, genetics, and reproduction of viruses and virus diseases. | |
| virus | A small infectious agent which lacks independent metabolism and is able to replicate only within a living host cell. The individual particle (virion) consists of either DNA or RNA and a protein capsid. | |
| viscer/o | body organs | |
| viscera | the large interior organs in any one of the three great cavities of the body, especially in the abdomen. | |
| viscosity | Resistance to flow. | |
| vit/o | life | |
| vital capacity | The volume of air that is exhaled by a maximal expiration following a maximal inspiration. | |
| vital signs | The signs of life that may be monitored or measured, namely pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. | |
| vitamins | Organic substances that are required in small amounts for maintenance and growth. | |
| vitelline | Pertaining to the vitellus. | |
| vitellus | Yolk of an egg. | |
| vitiligo | A chronic disease that causes white patches develop on the skin. | |
| vitre/o | vitreous body | |
| vitrectomy | Surgery to remove vitreous gel from the eye. | vĭ-trek´tah-me |
| vitreous body | The transparent, semi gelatinous substance that fills the cavity behind the crystalline lens of the eye and in front of the retina. | |
| vitrification | To convert into a glassy substance. | |
| vivi- | live, alive | |
| vivisection | Experiments performed on living animals involving surgery. | |
| VLDL | very low density lipoprotein | |
| VNA | Visiting Nurse Association | |
| vocal cords | A pair of cone-shaped elastic mucous membrane projecting from the laryngeal wall and forming a narrow slit between them. Each contains a vocal ligament that shortens or relaxes the vocal cord to control sound production. | |
| vol | volume | |
| volar | Pertaining to the palm or sole. | |
| -volemia | blood volume | |
| volition | Voluntary activity without external compulsion. | |
| vomiting | The forcible expulsion of the contents of the stomach through the mouth. | |
| VS | vital signs | |
| VSD | ventricular septal defect | |
| VT | ventricular tachycardia | |
| vulv/o | vulva | |
| vulva | The external genitalia of the female. It includes the clitoris, the labia, the vestibule and its glands. | |
| vulvitis | Inflammation of the vulva. | |
| vv | veins | |
| VW | vessel wall | |
