diagnosis

[dahy-uhg-noh-sis]

noun

plural

diagnoses 

1. Medicine/Medical.

   1. the process of determining by examination the nature and circumstances of a diseased condition.

   2. the decision reached from such an examination. Dx

2. Biology.,  scientific determination; a description that classifies a group or taxon precisely.

3. a determining or analysis of the cause or nature of a problem or situation.

4. an answer or solution to a problematic situation.

diagnosis

/ ˌdaɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs /

noun

1. 1. the identification of diseases by the examination of symptoms and signs and by other investigations

   2. an opinion or conclusion so reached

2. 1. thorough analysis of facts or problems in order to gain understanding and aid future planning

   2. an opinion or conclusion reached through such analysis

3. a detailed description of an organism, esp a plant, for the purpose of classification

diagnosis

plural

diagnoses 

1. The identification by a medical provider of a condition, disease, or injury made by evaluating the symptoms and signs presented by a patient.

Confusables Note

Although diagnosis and prognosis are both very familiar medical terms, they are sometimes used interchangeably (by nonmedical people), as if they were synonymous words. They are not. When a person is unwell and asks a doctor what is wrong with them, what they are asking for is a diagnosis. Examining the symptoms, as with a thermometer or stethoscope, and evaluating the results of a procedure such as a throat culture, blood test, or x-ray will help the doctor identify the patient’s illness. Whatever that ailment may be, the identification, or naming of it, is the diagnosis. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was very disheartening. The diagnosis is an acute case of tendinitis. Once a patient has been given a diagnosis, the next thing they’ll want to know is what sort of an outcome they can expect, which means they want to know the prognosis. Unlike diagnoses, which are conclusively based on tangible evidence, prognoses are reasonable predictions based on past observations of similar cases. A prognosis gives the patient an idea of what to expect about the course of their illness, including the probability of recovery. As ailments range from the most superficial to the most life-threatening, it is typical for the word prognosis to be qualified by such adjectives as excellent, favorable, good, positive, negative, poor, dire, grim. Doctors will never tire of telling us, “Early detection and treatment are your best bets for a positive prognosis.” And no one wants to say, “The prognosis was so poor that he could no longer hide his condition from his family.” In nonmedical contexts, diagnosis still carries its meaning of naming or identifying something, especially when that involves a situation or problem. When our computer kept crashing, the tech said that nearby UFO activity could be the reason, so we got another tech—and a proper, earthbound diagnosis! Likewise, prognosis is used outside of medical contexts, retaining its meaning of reasonable prediction. As a lover of pesticide-free smoothies, I’m pleased to say that the prognosis for the future of organic farming has never been better.

Other Word Forms

• prediagnosis noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of diagnosis¹

First recorded in 1675–85; from New Latin, from Greek diágnōsis “a distinguishing, means or power of discernment”; dia-, -gnosis

Word History and Origins

Origin of diagnosis¹

C17: New Latin, from Greek: a distinguishing, from diagignōskein to distinguish, from gignōskein to perceive, _know

Example Sentences

Rach knows there is no way to prove that there is a link between her diagnosis and the brand of sunscreen she relied on.

From BBC

The average survival time for those who get treatment is 15 months after diagnosis, according to the foundation, compared with three to six months for those who do not.

From Los Angeles Times

KS: You spoke so openly about your autism diagnosis and the response was incredible.

From BBC

When David Bowie died in 2016, his parting gift was a final album, Blackstar, shaped by his cancer diagnosis and an acceptance of mortality.

From BBC

Still, he said, getting the official diagnosis early in 2024 was a shock.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• analysis 
• conclusion 
• examination 
• interpretation 
• investigation 

When To Use

Plural word for diagnosis

The plural form of diagnosis is diagnoses, pronounced [ dahy-uhg-noh-seez ]. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -is are also formed in this way, including hypothesis/hypotheses, crisis/crises, and axis/axes. A similar change is made when pluralizing appendix as appendices. Irregular plurals that are formed like diagnoses derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin and Greek.