prognosis

American  

[prog-noh-sis] / prɒgˈnoʊ sɪs /

noun

prognoses plural

1. Medicine/Medical. a forecasting of the probable course and outcome of a disease, especially of the chances of recovery.

2. a forecast or prognostication.

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prognosis British  

/ prɒɡˈnəʊsɪs /

noun

1. med

   1. a prediction of the course or outcome of a disease or disorder

   2. the chances of recovery from a disease

2. any forecast or prediction

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prognosis Cultural  

1. A medical prediction of the future course of a disease and the chance for recovery.

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Discover More

Prognosis is often used as a general term for predicting the unfolding of events: “The governor said that the prognosis for the state's financial future is bleak.”

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• prognoses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of prognosis

First recorded in 1645–55; from Late Latin, from Greek prógnōsis “foreknowledge” opposed to pro- ², gnosis

Explanation

If you come down with an illness, you might ask your doctor what your prognosis is. A prognosis is a prediction about the course of a disease. Prognosis comes from the Greek pro- "before" and gnosis "knowledge." It means to know beforehand, but keep in mind that it is only a probable outcome and not a sure thing. Financial analysts frequently change their prognosis of the economy as they hear each piece of good or bad economic news. And if the weather prognosis is sunny and dry, but you see dark clouds forming, you would be wise to pack an umbrella.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prognosis prognoses

U.S. stock futures fell as a rally in tech stocks lost steam ahead of earnings that will help shape investors’ prognosis for AI companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

One of Zealand’s longest-term clients is a small-business owner who has a terminal diagnosis but has outlived the original prognosis.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

But its prognosis for victory would seem guarded at best.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

He said after his hiring that Weiss was bringing him in while audiences for 60 Minutes were increasing - up 9% according to Nielsen ratings - but that was not indicative of its longterm prognosis.

From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026

The surgeon said the prognosis was good, Karl assured Nemo.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

She said women from those groups were generally diagnosed at a later date as a result, leading to more invasive treatment and worse prognoses.

From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2024

Surprisingly, the study also revealed that Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes, can be divided into two groups, each with distinct genetic changes and slightly different prognoses.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 11, 2023

Through the long, wild ride, there were peaks and troughs, months of uncertainty, bailout talks, near-misses and dire prognoses.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 20, 2023

It’s an island of hope in a sea of dim prognoses for urban life.

From Slate ● Dec. 23, 2022

It had been Mrs. Richardson who had held her, Mrs. Richardson who had heard all the doctors’ prognoses, the dire warnings about what might be in store for her.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Related Words

• diagnosis
• prediction
• prognostication
• projection