pathognomonic

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek παθογνωμονικός (pathognōmonikós, “skilled in diagnosis”), from πάθος (páthos, “misfortune”) +‎ γνωμονικός (gnōmonikós, “fit to judge of”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌpaθəɡnə(ʊ)ˈmɒnɪk/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌpæθəɡnoʊˈmɑːnɪk/, /ˌpæθoʊnəˈmɑːnɪk/

Adjective

pathognomonic (not comparable)

Examples
See Pathognomonic § Examples

1. (medicine, of a sign or symptom) specifically characteristic or indicative of a particular disease or condition.

   A tetrad of rash, arthralgia, abdominal pain and kidney disease in a child is pathognomonic for Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

   • 2024 May 30, Germano Vera Cruz, Elias Aboujaoude, Magdalena Liberacka-Dwojak, Monika Wiłkość-Dębczyńska, Lucien Rochat, Riaz Khan, Yasser Khazaal, “How much online pornography is too much? A comparison of two theoretically distinct assessment scales”, in Archives of Public Health, volume 82, →DOI:

     high involvement in internet-related behaviors is likely not pathognomonic for addiction and may stem from comorbid disorders (e.g., mood disorders, anxiety disorders, attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder).

Antonyms

• assident
• nonspecific

Translations

Beyond any doubt diagnostic for a particular disease

• Catalan: patognòmic, patognomònic
• Finnish: patognomoninen
• German: pathognomonisch (de)
• Greek: παθογνωμονικός m (pathognomonikós)
• Italian: patognomonico
• Spanish: patognomónico

References

James A. H. Murray [et al.], editors (1884–1928), “Pathognomonic”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC.