noun
Common
diagnosis
deye-uhg-NOH-sihs
Diagnosis (noun) means the identification of a disease or medical condition through examination. Example: “After several tests, the doctor gave her a clear diagnosis and a treatment plan.”
noun
1
The identification of a disease or medical condition through examination.
"After several tests, the doctor gave her a clear diagnosis and a treatment plan."
"The diagnosis confirmed what the family had feared for months."
"Getting an early diagnosis can make a huge difference in treatment."
2
The identification of the cause of any problem.
"The mechanic's diagnosis was a faulty sensor, not a broken engine."
"A careful diagnosis of the problem showed that the website was simply overloaded."
"The IT team gave a quick diagnosis of the network outage."
How to use diagnosis
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe conclusion a doctor (or anyone investigating a problem) reaches about what's actually wrong.
Common mistake
Plural is "diagnoses," not "diagnosises."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
make a diagnosis
early diagnosis
confirm a diagnosis
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Word forms
- Plural
- diagnoses
Fill the gap
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After several tests, the doctor gave her a clear _____ and a treatment plan.
Etymology
From Greek diagnosis, from diagignoskein ("to discern"), from dia- ("through") + gignoskein ("to know").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for diagnosis
meiosis
mitosis
osmosis
stenosis
acidosis
zoonosis
cyanosis
necrosis
neurosis
hypnosis
fibrosis
silicosis
See all rhymes for diagnosis →
Frequently asked questions
What does “diagnosis” mean?
The word “diagnosis” means the identification of a disease or medical condition through examination. In plain terms, the conclusion a doctor (or anyone investigating a problem) reaches about what's actually wrong.
How do you pronounce “diagnosis”?
“Diagnosis” is pronounced deye-uhg-NOH-sihs (/daɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “diagnosis” in a sentence?
Here is “diagnosis” used in a sentence: “The diagnosis confirmed what the family had feared for months.”
What part of speech is “diagnosis”?
“Diagnosis” is a noun.
Where does the word “diagnosis” come from?
The word “diagnosis” comes from Greek. From Greek diagnosis, from diagignoskein ("to discern"), from dia- ("through") + gignoskein ("to know").
Is “diagnosis” a common word?
“Diagnosis” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “diagnosis” have?
“Diagnosis” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the identification of a disease or medical condition through examination.
What is the difference between diagnosis and prognosis?
A diagnosis identifies what disease or condition a patient has, based on examination. A prognosis predicts how that condition is likely to develop and what the outcome may be. In short, diagnosis is about the present problem, prognosis about its future course.
What is the plural of diagnosis?
The plural is "diagnoses." The singular diagnosis refers to one identification of a disease or problem, while diagnoses refers to two or more, following the same pattern as crisis/crises and basis/bases.
What is the difference between a diagnosis and a symptom?
A symptom is a sign of illness that a patient notices or shows, such as pain or fever. A diagnosis is the conclusion a professional reaches by examining those symptoms to identify the underlying condition. Symptoms are the clues; the diagnosis is the answer.
Can diagnosis be used outside medicine?
Yes. Besides identifying a disease, diagnosis can mean identifying the cause of any problem, for example a mechanic's diagnosis of a fault in a car. In this sense it means pinpointing what is wrong and why.
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