Semantic transfer as a means of forming medical terms

The paper gives some results of the analysis of one of the ways of forming medical terms by means of metaphorization. The formation of the meaning of secondary nomination proceeds in the process of rethinking the "previous" meaning of words. This rethinking can occur either on the basis of the noted external similarity of real objects, or as a result of their performance of the same similar functions. Metaphorization in the English medical terminology system is carried out through the activation of meaningful associations in both native English words and words of Greek-Latin origin.