General
agnostication
What does agnostication mean?
A pun on 'prognostication' welded to 'agnostic'. The vague, hedged non-answer a doctor gives when someone asks 'How long, doc?' and the honest reply is 'I genuinely don't know.' Dressed-up uncertainty with a stethoscope around its neck.
"I asked for a number and got pure agnostication — weeks to months, possibly longer."
Origin
Medical-profession word-play on prognostication + agnostic.
Frequently asked questions
What does "agnostication" mean?
It's a doctor's polished, non-committal shrug when a dying patient asks how long they have left.
How do you use "agnostication" in a sentence?
"When she asked for a timeframe, all she got was agnostication."
Why do doctors use agnostication?
It's a way to answer an impossible-to-predict question honestly without giving a false number, since prognosis timing is genuinely uncertain.
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