# What's the best medical dictionary for my pal?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-medical-dictionary-for-my-pal/163331>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 22, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-medical-dictionary-for-my-pal/163331 "2003-03-22T08:09:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alex\_arg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@alex\_arg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alex_arg)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-medical-dictionary-for-my-pal/163331/1 "2003-03-22T08:09:24Z")

</div>

I’ve noticed that thjere are several, doctors and med students please help me out?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-medical-dictionary-for-my-pal/163331/2 "2003-03-22T12:31:03Z")

</div>

It would help if we knew why your pal needs a medical dictionary.

If he’s a general user, Taber’s is acceptable. Lots of pictures, easy-to-read type, and the language is fairly simple to understand.

If he’s going to medical school himself, or needs a more technically-oriented dictionary, he can use Dorland’s. Smaller type, more advanced language, and the same kind of line drawings found in most dictionaries.

The best thing I can recommend, though, is that he trot himself down to the bookstore and browse for himself.

Robin

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-medical-dictionary-for-my-pal/163331/3 "2003-03-22T14:32:13Z")

</div>

Medical copyeditors use either Stedman’s or Dorland’s. I can’t vouch for either of these; I’ve never seen either, but have seen the names bandied about. I own Taber’s for the occasional spelling check.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![benson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@benson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benson)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-medical-dictionary-for-my-pal/163331/4 "2003-03-22T18:36:25Z")

</div>

I own Mosby’s Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary. Simple language, lots of disgusting pictures. If your friend needs it for general use I’d recommend that one.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![it\_sjustme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/da6949/32.png) [@it\_sjustme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/it_sjustme)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-medical-dictionary-for-my-pal/163331/5 "2003-03-23T08:26:53Z")

</div>

I like my Mosby’s and would recommend it. (I’m a nurse, not a med student or MD.) If your friend’s a med student, they might want to have more than one on hand, so you probably won’t go too far wrong if you look through several yourself and pick the you like best