case study

American  

noun

1. a study of an individual unit, as a person, family, or social group, usually emphasizing developmental issues and relationships with the environment, especially in order to compare a larger group to the individual unit.

2. case history.

---

case study British  

noun

1. the act or an instance of analysing one or more particular cases or case histories with a view to making generalizations

---

Etymology

Origin of case study

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Humira is just one example, but it’s a fascinating case study for understanding how healthcare costs have gotten so horribly out of control and what’s needed to fix it.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

A case study released alongside the global assessment identifies 20 migratory fish species in the Amazon that meet the criteria for potential CMS Appendix II listing.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

To understand the trends and tactics teams are increasingly using this season, there is no better case study to analyse than Arsenal's opener against Chelsea in their 2-1 Premier League win earlier this month.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

This saga’s gnarled roots stretch back to 2020, the year “Promising Young Woman” was released in theaters, and a year worthy of its own case study on its impact on cinema alone.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026

NYE: I’d like to offer you as a case study at my next Princeton lecture.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

Related Words

• medical history