Saline

Relating to salt. As an adjective, "saline" means "salty, containing salt." As a noun "saline" is a salt solution, often adjusted to the normal salinity of the human body. Salt, in medicine, is referring to sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is common table salt and the salt concentrated in the earth and in sea water. Certain concentrations of both sodium and chloride in the blood are essential for normal body functions. Saline solutions are commonly used in medicine as fluid replacements to treat or prevent dehydration.

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1. Relating to, of the nature of, or containing salt; salty. 2. A salt solution, usually sodium chloride. [L. salinus, salty, fr. sal, salt]

- physiologic s. an isotonic aqueous solution of salts, containing 0.9% sodium chloride.

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sa·line 'sā-.lēn, -.līn adj

1) consisting of or containing salt <a \saline solution>

2) of, relating to, or resembling salt: SALTY <a \saline taste>

3) consisting of or relating to the salts esp. of lithium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium <a \saline cathartic>

4) relating to or being abortion induced by the injection of a highly concentrated saline solution into the amniotic sac <\saline amniocentesis>

saline n

1 a) a metallic salt esp a salt of potassium, sodium, or magnesium with a cathartic action

b) an aqueous solution of one or more such salts

2) a saline solution used in physiology esp physiological saline

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n.

a solution containing 0.9% sodium chloride. Saline may be used clinically as a diluent for drugs administered by injection and as a plasma substitute.

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sa·line (saґlēn) (saґlīn) [L. salinus; sal salt] salty; of the nature of a salt; containing a salt or salts.