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misdiagnosis

American  
[mis-dahy-uhg-noh-sis] / ˌmɪs daɪ əgˈnoʊ sɪs /

noun

plural

misdiagnoses

  1. an incorrect diagnosis.

misdiagnosis British  
/ ˌmɪsdaɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs /

noun

  1. the act or an instance of misdiagnosing or being misdiagnosed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of misdiagnosis

First recorded in 1945–50; mis- 1 + diagnosis

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.

This helps reduce the risk of misdiagnosis and unnecessary concern for patients.

From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026

Recent cases of alleged misdiagnosis illustrate this point.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 30, 2025

“The upshot is that the ‘debasement’ theory looks like a misdiagnosis of the early-August to mid-October surge in the price of gold,” he added.

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025

This misdiagnosis meant the DuoDate treatment was not administered, which could have prevented Ms Sturgess' death, the inquiry heard.

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2024

His father had died after another misdiagnosis: A doctor had failed to spot the cancer on an X-ray, and the family had received a small settlement.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.