diagnostic

American  

[dahy-uhg-nos-tik] / ˌdaɪ əgˈnɒs tɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or used in diagnosis.

2. serving to identify or characterize; being a precise indication.

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noun

1. diagnosis.

2. a symptom or characteristic of value in diagnosis.

3. Medicine/Medical. a device or substance used for the analysis or detection of diseases or other medical conditions.

4. Computers.

   1. a message output by a computer diagnosing an error in a computer program, computer system, or component device.

   2. a program or subroutine that produces such messages.

diagnostic British  

/ ˌdaɪəɡˈnɒstɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or of value in diagnosis

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noun

1. med any symptom that provides evidence for making a specific diagnosis

2. a diagnosis

Other Word Forms

• diagnostically adverb
• postdiagnostic adjective
• prediagnostic adjective

Etymology

Origin of diagnostic

1615–25; < Greek diagnōstikós, equivalent to diagnōst ( ós ) distinguished (akin to diágnōsis; diagnosis ) + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

"Ultimately, such advances could enhance patient outcomes and reduce diagnostic delays, accelerating the path from detection to treatment."

From Science Daily

"There are a couple early diagnostic blood tests for Alzheimer's disease in development," Klein added.

From Science Daily

These insights may help researchers generate new hypotheses about how tumors grow and progress, while also pointing toward promising future diagnostic markers or treatment targets.

From Science Daily

Over time, this can cause AI models to focus on signals tied more closely to demographics than to the disease itself, weakening diagnostic performance across diverse patient groups.

From Science Daily

They don’t take the time to compare prices as if they’re buying a car; they go to the doctor and follow his or her instructions, including prescribed procedures and diagnostic tests.

From Los Angeles Times