pathognomonic

American  

[puh-thog-nuh-mon-ik] / pəˌθɒg nəˈmɒn ɪk /

adjective

1. Medicine/Medical. characteristic or diagnostic of a specific disease.

   a pathognomonic sign of pneumonia.

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pathognomonic British  

/ ˌpæθəɡnəˈmɒnɪk /

adjective

1. pathol characteristic or indicative of a particular disease

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Other Word Forms

• pathognomonically adverb

Etymology

Origin of pathognomonic

First recorded in 1615–25, pathognomonic is from the Greek word pathognōmonikós skilled in judging disease. See patho-, gnomon, -ic

Example Sentences

Bradshaw concluded their respective symptoms, even though they could only be observed externally, “were pathognomonic for dissociative and attachment disorders and for Complex PTSD.”

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2024

The possibility of a stone being present should not be hinted to the patient until some definite pathognomonic sign is discovered.

From Psychotherapy by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)

While we find slight degrees of difference in the secretions of the insane at times, yet these changes do not appear to be pathognomonic.

From Insanity Its Causes and Prevention by Stearns, Henry Putnam

It seems as though there were, as a pathognomonic sign of the morbid process, a lack of energy and loss of the normal �lan vital.

From Benign Stupors A Study of a New Manic-Depressive Reaction Type by MacCurdy, John T. (John Thompson)

She had not been exposed to the causes of the yellow fever, and indeed presented none of its ordinary pathognomonic signs.

From North American Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3, July, 1826 by Bache, Franklin