pathological

[ path-uh-loj-i-kuhl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to pathology.
2. caused by or involving disease; morbid.
3. caused by or evidencing a mentally disturbed condition:

   a pathological hoarder.

4. dealing with diseases:

   a pathological casebook.

pathological

/ ˌpæθəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to pathology
2. relating to, involving, or caused by disease
3. informal.
   compulsively motivated

   a pathological liar

Derived Forms

• ˌpathoˈlogically, adverb

Other Words From

• path·o·log·i·cal·ly adverb
• non·path·o·log·ic adjective
• non·path·o·log·i·cal adjective
• non·path·o·log·i·cal·ly adverb
• post·path·o·log·ic adjective
• post·path·o·log·i·cal adjective
• sem·i·path·o·log·ic adjective
• sem·i·path·o·log·i·cal adjective
• sem·i·path·o·log·i·cal·ly adverb
• un·path·o·log·i·cal adjective
• un·path·o·log·i·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of pathological¹

First recorded in 1680–90; from Greek pathologik(ós) ( pathology, -ic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

The same blend of pathological fearmongering could again energize the base in a way that could enable right-wing economic interests to stage a check on economic progress.

From Washington Post

In 2013, McKee and colleagues proposed a scheme for characterizing the severity of CTE, classifying it into four pathological stages.

From Washington Post

I shrank from their touch, recoiling from their hands like hot iron, believing their interest to be impossible or pathological.

From Vox

The overinterpretation is to interpret it as being pathological.

From Nautilus

The Republicans who rally around a pathological demagogue are not a “fringe” in the party.

From Washington Post

Actually some of the Contras whom I knew were the moral equivalent of pathological killers.

From The Daily Beast

“Such a clandestine and pathological way of drinking increases the chances of becoming an alcoholic exponentially,” says Alireza.

From The Daily Beast

Another vital source of evidence is pathological: the condition of the bodies of victims, which will show how they died.

From The Daily Beast

The situation is pathological, not the people who keep remembering.

From The Daily Beast

A relationship that infantilizes a woman is one that clearly draws a more pathological group of people.

From The Daily Beast

Undoubtedly his existence is a product of the system, a pathological product, a kind of elephantiasis of individualism.

From Project Gutenberg

It has been maintained that this is a pathological specimen, and does not represent normal man.

From Project Gutenberg

Pathological micro-organisms have very complicated products which are in large part poisonous.

From Project Gutenberg

Unexpected death frequently occurs in mania because of the failure to recognise the existence of serious pathological conditions.

From Project Gutenberg

Not that it is any more frequent in England, however, but was there first recognised as a distinct pathological entity.

From Project Gutenberg