prognosis
Americannoun
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prognoses
plural
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Medicine/Medical. a forecasting of the probable course and outcome of a disease, especially of the chances of recovery.
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a forecast or prognostication.
noun
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med
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a prediction of the course or outcome of a disease or disorder
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the chances of recovery from a disease
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any forecast or prediction
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing prognosis
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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.
See Examples For:
In humans, mutations in the FBXW7 gene in breast cancer are associated with worse prognosis - paralleling the change seen in cats.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026
Without sounding callous, my thought is that, given her prognosis, she may be better off not selling the condo and incurring the capital-gains tax.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
AI models and blood tests that detect cancers earlier could also improve the prognosis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Oral health has long been connected with broader health outcomes, and previous research has linked poor dental health with prognosis in colorectal and esophageal cancers.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
Everyone presents differently, and responds to meds differently, and no prognosis can truly be predicted.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
He said that while doctors could never be certain with prognoses, the six-month criteria would be a "yard stick" to ensure that people were in the final stages of life.
From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026
"It's possible that suppressing lineage plasticity can improve prognoses," Fuchs says.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 7, 2024
Given the dire prognoses of the patients considering CAR-T therapies, Dr. DiPersio said, the new warning amounted to “much ado about nothing.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 23, 2024
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 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
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.
