clinical

[klin-i-kuhl]

adjective

1. pertaining to a clinic.

2. concerned with or based on actual observation and treatment of disease in patients rather than experimentation or theory.

3. extremely objective and realistic; dispassionately analytic; unemotionally critical.

   She regarded him with clinical detachment.

4. pertaining to or used in a sickroom.

   a clinical bandage.

5. Ecclesiastical.

   1. (of a sacrament) administered on a deathbed or sickbed.

   2. (of a convert or conversion) made on a deathbed or sickbed.

clinical

/ ˈklɪnɪkəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a clinic

2. of or relating to the bedside of a patient, the course of his disease, or the observation and treatment of patients directly

   a clinical lecture

   clinical medicine

3. scientifically detached; strictly objective

   a clinical attitude to life

4. plain, simple, and usually unattractive

   clinical furniture

Other Word Forms

• clinically adverb
• nonclinical adjective
• nonclinically adverb
• overclinical adjective
• overclinically adverb
• semiclinical adjective
• semiclinically adverb
• unclinical adjective
• clinicalness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of clinical¹

First recorded in 1770–80; clinic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

"It feels a little bit un-Australian to not be as clinical as we normally are, and knowing how well we played at this World Cup," said Healy.

Read more on Barron's

Direct-primary-care providers charge patients a monthly, quarterly or annual fee in lieu of insurance billing for unlimited visits and clinical and laboratory services, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Read more on MarketWatch

Because the study used human blood cells, the findings are directly relevant to clinical applications.

Read more on Science Daily

"We follow a robust process to develop these, with clinical and public involvement."

Read more on BBC

This therapeutic concept points toward future clinical strategies that address the vascular contribution to Alzheimer's disease and aim to improve patient outcomes.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• analytic 
• impersonal 
• scientific