diagnosis

[dahy-uh g-noh-sis] /ˌdaɪ əgˈnoʊ sɪs/
noun, plural diagnoses
[dahy-uh g-noh-seez] /ˌdaɪ əgˈnoʊ siz/ (Show IPA)
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.
    Abbreviation: 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.
Origin
1675-85; < Neo-Latin < Greek diágnōsis a distinguishing. See dia-, -gnosis
Related forms
prediagnosis, noun, plural prediagnoses.
Can be confused
diagnosis, prognosis.
Examples from the web for diagnosis
  • His doctors have given him a diagnosis of stress-related heart disease, but his producers couldn't care less.
  • The number of Asperger's adults, like the diagnosis, is hard to pin down.
  • He was 77 and had been in poor health since he received a diagnosis of brain cancer last year.
  • Thanks for the possible diagnosis, though.
  • Yet the diagnosis was officially recognized as a disability only 30 years ago.
  • None of the above doctors made a diagnosis.
  • By providing an on-the-spot diagnosis, doctors hope to close the gap .
  • But as a "client," you don't make the diagnosis, nor deliver the prognosis.
  • Once the two catalogues were in existence, diagnosis would be merely a matter of matching graphs.
  • The diagnosis was calcific aortic stenosis, a block of the valve between his heart and the aorta, which carries blood to the body.
British Dictionary definitions for diagnosis

diagnosis

/ˌdaɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs/
noun (pl) -ses (-siːz)
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
Word Origin
C17: New Latin, from Greek: a distinguishing, from diagignōskein to distinguish, from gignōskein to perceive, know
Word Origin and History for diagnosis
n.

1680s, medical Latin application of Greek diagnosis "a discerning, distinguishing," from stem of diagignoskein "discern, distinguish," literally "to know thoroughly," from dia- "apart" (see dia-) + gignoskein "to learn" (see gnostic).

diagnosis in Medicine

diagnosis di·ag·no·sis (dī'əg-nō'sĭs)
n. pl. di·ag·no·ses (-sēz)

  1. The act or process of identifying or determining the nature and cause of a disease or injury through evaluation of patient history, examination, and review of laboratory data.

  2. The opinion derived from such an evaluation.

  3. A brief description of the distinguishing characteristics of an organism, as for taxonomic classification.

diagnosis in Science
diagnosis
  (dī'əg-nō'sĭs)   
Plural diagnoses (dī'əg-nō'sēz)
The identification by a medical provider of a condition, disease, or injury made by evaluating the symptoms and signs presented by a patient.