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thermography

n. a diagnostic technique in which thermally sensitive liquid crystals or infrared photography are used to detect temperature changes over the surface of the body. Thermography functions on the basis that diseased tissues, such as tumors, produce more heat than surrounding tissues and the heat can be measured in terms of infrared radiation.

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Psychology term of the day

January 15th 2025

prescriptive grammar

prescriptive grammar

an approach to grammar in which a series of rules is used to distinguish proper from improper usage and a standard version of the language is identified and promoted (see standard language). It is often contrasted with descriptive grammar, in which the goal is to provide an accurate account of language use without specification as to correctness. Prescriptive grammarians seek to correct nonstandard forms, such as I can’t get no satisfaction, whereas descriptive grammarians seek to characterize the rule system that produces such utterances.