Lactic acid fermentation is a metabolic process which occurs in the absence of oxygen. During this process, glucose is broken down into lactic acid, which is then used as a source of energy by certain microorganisms. The term 'lactic acid fermentation' is commonly used to describe this process, but there are a number of alternative words and phrases which can be used interchangeably. These include anaerobic glycolysis, lactate fermentation, and lactic acidosis. Each of these terms describes the same process of converting glucose into lactic acid, and can be used depending on the context and audience of the discussion.