meridian

(mĕ-rid′ē-ăn)

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[L. meridianus, pert. to noon]

1. An imaginary line encircling a globe at right angles to its equator and passing through the poles, or half of such a line.
2. In complementary medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and acupuncture, any of several pathways believed to conduct energy between the surface of the body and the internal organs. Blockage along these pathways is believed to disrupt energy flow (chi or qi) and to cause imbalances that are reflected in symptoms or disease. Meridians and the energy flows they are thought to direct have eluded identification by western scientific methods.
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QI MERIDIANS Qi meridians are used in the Chinese medicine techniques of acupressure and acupuncture.
3. In visual field testing, a line that denotes an equal level of visual registration.
meridional (mĕ-rid′ē-ăn-ăl), adj.

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