idiopathic

American

[id-ee-uh-path-ik] / ˌɪd i əˈpæθ ɪk /

adjective

Pathology.

of unknown cause, as a disease.

idiopathic Scientific

/ ĭd′ē-ə-păth′ĭk /

Relating to or being a disease having no known cause.

Other Word Forms

idiopathically adverb

Etymology

Origin of idiopathic

First recorded in 1660–70; idio- + -pathic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s acquiring Centessa Pharmaceuticals, which is working on orexin receptor 2 agonists for conditions like narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia — forms of daytime sleepiness.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

The mother of two has idiopathic laryngotracheal stenosis, a rare condition that affects one in 500,000 women and causes abnormal narrowing of the voice box and windpipe.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

Two years before her death, Ladd was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a disease wherein “lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025

Its first-generation candidate, ORX750, is aimed at treating three types of severe narcolepsy—type I, type II, and idiopathic hypersomnia.

From Barron's • Sep. 26, 2025

I once Googled “excessive blushing” and found out there’s a terrifying name for my condition: idiopathic craniofacial erythema.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023