570
Vocabulary
Here is a list of words that may be new or difficult to understand, or that are
especially important to promoting environmental health. Knowing what these
words mean can help you use this book better.
Most of the words used here are explained in the chapters. The first time
they are used in a chapter, the words are printed in heavier black letters.
These words are listed in the order of the alphabet:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
A
A-frame level a tool for finding a level
area across a slope, made of wood in
the shape of the letter A.
Absorb to pull into. Plants absorb water
from the ground.
Acetaminophen a pain-relieving medicine.
Also called paracetamol.
Acetone a toxic solvent.
Activated charcoal a powder made from
charcoal used to absorb poison and
reduce the harm it causes.
Active ingredient in a pesticide, the
substance that kills pests.
Acute when something happens suddenly,
and is strong, serious, or dangerous. An
acute illness gets bad quickly but may
not last long. Compare with chronic.
Agroforestry growing crops and trees
together so they produce many
benefits, such as food, firewood, and
soil conservation.
AIDS a disease caused by the HIV virus.
A person has AIDS when the body gets
too weak to fight illness.
Air pollution the release of poisonous
gases and small dust particles into the
air. Burning fossil fuels causes a lot of
air pollution.
Algae very small plants with no roots,
stems, or leaves, that grow in water
and in wet places.
Allergy, allergic reaction a problem, such
as itching, sneezing, hives or rash, and
sometimes difficult breathing or shock,
that affects some people when specific
things are breathed in, eaten, injected,
or touched. The things that cause
allergies are called allergens.
Anemia a disease in which the blood gets
weak and thin from the lack of red
blood cells. It is caused by a lack of
iron in the diet, destruction by toxics
of the body’s ability to make blood or
red blood cells, or loss or destruction of
blood faster than the body can replace it.
Antibiotic a medicine used to fight
infections caused by bacteria.
Antibiotic resistance when bacteria are no
longer killed by an antibiotic. Antibiotic
resistance can be caused by taking
antibiotics unneccessarily, or dumping
them into the environment.