saline solution
Noun: * A sterile mixture of salt (sodium chloride) and water: A saline solution is a specific preparation of salt dissolved in purified water, most commonly at a concentration of 0.9% sodium chloride, which matches the saltiness of human body fluids (isotonic). It is used for medical and scientific purposes.
Saline solution is primarily used as a medical fluid. It is administered to patients to replenish lost fluids, dilute medications for injection, or flush wounds and eyes. It is also commonly used in contact lens care.
- The nurse prepared an intravenous drip of saline solution to treat the patient's dehydration.
- Before inserting your contact lenses, rinse them with a few drops of sterile saline solution.
- For a minor cut, the first step is to clean it with saline solution.
- "Normal saline": This is a specific term for a 0.9% sodium chloride solution, which is isotonic with blood plasma. It is the most frequently used type of saline solution in clinical settings.
- The doctor ordered a liter of normal saline for the IV infusion.
- Saline (noun/adjective): Often used as a shorter, informal form of "saline solution," especially in medical contexts. As an adjective, it describes something containing salt.
- The wound was irrigated with saline. (noun)
- The lake has saline water. (adjective)
- Sodium chloride solution: A more technical or chemical name for saline solution.
- Salt solution: A general term for any mixture of salt and water.
- Physiological saline: Another term emphasizing the solution's compatibility with the body's physiology.
The core meaning of "saline solution" is specifically a prepared, often sterile, mixture for functional use. It is distinct from naturally occurring salt water (e.g., seawater). In everyday contexts, it is almost exclusively associated with medical or lens-care use.
- an isotonic solution of sodium chloride and distilled water