pathogenesis

American  

[path-uh-jen-uh-sis] / ˌpæθ əˈdʒɛn ə sɪs /

Also pathogeny

noun

1. the production and development of disease.

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pathogenesis British  

/ pəˈθɒdʒɪnɪ, ˌpæθəˈdʒɛnɪsɪs, ˌpæθəʊdʒɪˈnɛtɪk /

noun

1. the origin, development, and resultant effects of a disease

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Other Word Forms

• pathogenetic adjective

Etymology

Origin of pathogenesis

From New Latin, dating back to 1875–80; patho-, -genesis

Explanation

The medical term pathogenesis means the source of a disease. Your doctor might guess that the pathogenesis of your ear infection was a bad cold that caused congestion and swelling. If you ask your doctor, "How did I get chickenpox?" you're asking about the pathogenesis of an illness that gave you an itchy rash and a high fever. The word stems from the Greek pathos, "suffering or disease," and genesis, "origin." In medical terms, pathogenesis lays out the biological progression of a disease from its origin to the symptoms it caused that sent you to your doctor's office.

Example Sentences

"Only recently, with a number of breakthroughs in the field, did people begin to believe that the vascular system is involved in AD pathogenesis," Norris says.

From Science Daily • Oct. 22, 2025

"We created a model of hibernation, which is so critical to understanding of the pathogenesis of the infection."

From Salon • Jul. 30, 2024

The findings may also illuminate pathogenesis of disease in general -- one of the many important reasons for investigating rare diseases, which are often viewed as insignificant since they affect so few people, says Simon.

From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2024

The study is the first evidence that a non-coding RNA plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of Down syndrome.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2024

The tracing of the direct and indirect relationships between these causes and the abnormal cerebral functioning upon which the disturbances of psychobiological adjustment seem to depend is the task of pathogenesis.

From A Psychiatric Milestone Bloomingdale Hospital Centenary, 1821-1921 by New York Hospital. Society