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Word list

Last updated:
3/17/2025

A list of commonly misspelled or misused words or phrases.

Introduction

Using inconsistent language across websites or pages within a website confuses users and lessens their trust in Boston Scientific. We’ve compiled a list of common words and phrases, and our recommended spelling. This page is a work in progress. If you think we’re missing something, please email anatomy.team@bsci.com.

Add-on, add-ons, add on

Definition:

Noun, adjective

  1. something that has been or can be added to an existing object or arrangement.

Verb

  1. include something as an additional element.

Explanation: The correct usage is add-on and add-ons as nouns and adjectives, and add on as a verb.

Back end, back-end

Definition:

Noun

  1. the part of a computer system or application that is not directly accessed by the user, typically responsible for storing and manipulating data

Adjective

  1. relating to or denoting the part of a computer system or application that is not directly accessed by the user, typically responsible for storing and manipulating data.

Explanation: The correct usage is back end as a noun and back-end as an adjective.

Beta

Definition:

  1. the second letter of the Greek alphabet (Β, β), transliterated as "b".
  2. denoting the second of a series of items, categories, forms of a chemical compound, etc.

Explanation: The correct usage is beta.

Care team

Definition: a group of primary care staff members who collectively take responsibility for a set of patients

Avoid: Careteam

Explanation: The correct usage is care team.

Caregiver

Definition: a family member or paid helper who regularly looks after a child or a sick, elderly, or disabled person.

Avoid: Care giver, care-giver

Explanation: The correct usage is caregiver, one word with no hyphen.

Definition:

Noun

  1. a list of options that appears when selected

Noun, adjective

  1. (of a menu) appearing below a menu title when it is selected, and remaining until used or dismissed

Verb

  1. fall or descend to a lower place or level

Avoid: Drop-down

Explanation: The correct usage is dropdown for nouns and adjectives drop down as a verb.

E-commerce

Definition: commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.

Avoid: Ecommerce

Explanation: The correct usage is e-commerce. This is common in the AP Style for other generic terms like e-strategies or e-book. But email is an exception.

EKG

Definition: the process of producing an electrocardiogram, a recording of the heart's electrical activity.

Avoid: ECG

Explanation: The correct usage is EKG.

Email

Definition:

Noun

  1. messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or more recipients via a network.

Verb

  1. send an email to (someone).

Avoid: e-mail.

Explanation: The correct usage is email.

Emoji

Definition: a small digital image or icon used to express an idea, emotion, etc.

Avoid: Emojis

Explanation: The correct usage is emoji, for both singular and plural use.

FAQ

Definition: a list of questions and answers relating to a particular subject, especially one giving basic information for users of a website.

Avoid: FAQs

Explanation: The correct usage is FAQ.

Front end, front-end

Definition:

Noun

  1. the part of a computer system or application with which the user interacts directly.

Adjective

  1. relating to or denoting the part of a computer system or application with which the user interacts directly.

Avoid: Frontend

Explanation: The correct usage is front end for a noun and front-end for an adjective. According to AP Style, the word following the hyphen is not capitalized unless it is a proper noun.

Healthcare

Definition: the organized provision of medical care to individuals or a community.

Avoid: Health care, health-care

Explanation: Use healthcare as one word, in all cases.

Homepage

Definition:

  1. the introductory page of a website, typically serving as a table of contents for the site.
  2. a web page set as the default or start-up page on a browser.

Avoid: home page, home-page

Explanation: The correct usage is homepage, no space or hyphen between the words.

Internet

Definition: a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols.

Explanation: The correct usage is internet, not Internet which was formerly the case to distinguish the global internet from local internets.

Like (social media activity)

Definition:

Noun

  1. (in the context of social media) an indication of approval of or support for someone or something, expressed by means of a particular icon or link.

Verb

  1. (in the context of social media) indicate one's approval of or support for (someone or something) by means of a particular icon or link.

Explanation: The correct usage is like, never capitalized unless in title case or beginning a sentence.

Login, log in

Definition:

Noun

  1. go through the procedures to begin using a computer, database, or system.
  2. a username and password that allows a person to log in to a computer system, network, mobile device, or user account.

Verb

  1. go through the procedures to begin using a computer, database, or system.

Avoid: log-in

Explanation: The correct usage is login as a noun or adjective and log in as a verb.

OK

Definition: (noun)an authorization or approval. (verb)sanction or give approval to.

Avoid: Okay

Explanation: The correct usage is OK, not okay.

Online

Definition: controlled by or connected to another computer or to a network.

Avoid: on-line

Explanation: The correct usage is online.

Opt-in, opt-out, opt in

Definition:

Noun

  1. (opt-in) a form of consent given by web users
  2. (opt-out) a form of consent not given by web users

Verb

  1. (opt in) to choose to participate in something.
  2. (opt out) to choose to not participate in something.

Explanation: The correct usage is opt-in and opt-out as nouns and opt in and opt out as verbs.

Password

Definition: a secret word or phrase that must be used to gain admission to something.

Avoid: pass-word, pass word

Explanation: The correct usage is password.

Patient engagement

Definition: a broader concept that combines patient activation with interventions designed to increase activation and promote positive patient behavior, such as obtaining preventive care or exercising regularly.

Explanation: from a health perspective, not a marketing perspective

Pop-up, pop-ups, pop up

Definition:

Noun

  1. a pop-up menu or other utility.

Adjective

  1. (of a menu or other utility) able to be superimposed on the screen being worked on and suppressed rapidly.

Verb

  1. (of a browser window) appear without having been requested, especially for the purpose of advertising.

Explanation: The correct usage is pop-up as a noun or adjective and pop up as a verb.

Read-only, readonly

Definition: (of memory, data, or a file) able to be accessed but not modified.

Explanation: The correct usage is read-only in text and readonly in html state. According to AP Style, the word following the hyphen is not capitalized unless it is a proper noun. For example: “Read-only files can be accessed but not modified.

Screen reader

Definition: a form of assistive technology that renders text and image content as speech or braille output.

Avoid: Screenreader, screen-reader

Explanation: The correct usage is two words with no hyphen, in all cases.

Sign-up, sign-ups, sign up

Definition:

Noun

  1. the action of enrolling for something or of enrolling or employing someone.

Verb

  1. to agree to become involved in an organized activity

Explanation: The correct usage is sign-up as a noun or adjective and sign up as a verb.

Sync

Definition:

Noun

  1. synchronization

Verb

  1. to synchronize

Avoid: Synch

Explanation: The correct usage is sync.

Tweet, retweet

Definition:

Noun

  1. a post made on the social media application Twitter.

Verb

  1. make a post on the social media application Twitter.

Explanation: The correct usage is tweet or retweet as nouns or verbs.

Update

Definition:

Noun

  1. an act of bringing something or someone up to date, or an updated version of something.

Verb

  1. make (something) more modern or up to date.

Avoid: up-date, up date

Explanation: The correct usage is update.

Upgrade

Definition:

Noun

  1. an act of upgrading something.

Verb

  1. raise (something) to a higher standard, in particular improve
  2. (equipment or machinery) by adding or replacing components.

Avoid: up-grade, up grade

Explanation: The correct usage is upgrade.

URL

Definition: the address of a web page.

Avoid: url

Explanation: The correct usage is URL and URLs for plural.

User ID

Definition: an entity used to identify a user on a website, software, system or within a generic IT environment.

Avoid: User-ID

Explanation: The correct usage is User ID.

Username, user name

Definition: an identification used by a person with access to a computer, network, or online service.

Avoid: user-name

Explanation: The correct usage is username for an input supplied by a user, not user-name, and not to be confused with user name, which references the actual name of a user.

Website

Definition: a set of related web pages located under a single domain name, typically produced by a single person or organization.

Avoid: web site, web-site

Explanation: The correct usage is website.

WIFI

Definition: a facility allowing computers, smartphones, or other devices to connect to the internet or communicate with one another wirelessly within a particular area.

Avoid: wifi, wi-fi, WI-FI

Explanation: The correct usage is WIFI.