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prognostic

[prog-nos-tik]
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adjective
  1. of or relating to prognosis.
  2. predictive of something in the future: prognostic signs and symbols.
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noun
  1. a forecast or prediction.
  2. an omen or portent; sign.
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Origin of prognostic

1375–1425; (adj.) late Middle English pronostik < Medieval Latin prognōsticus < Greek prognōstikós of foreknowledge, equivalent to pro(gi)gnṓs(kein) to know1 beforehand + -tikos -tic (see pro-2, gnostic); (noun) < Latin prognōsticon < Greek prognōstikón, neuter of prognōstikós
Related formsprog·nos·ti·ca·ble, adjectiveprog·nos·ti·cal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

forebodingauspiceharbingerstrawaugurysignforerunnerwarningprognosticationpremonitionindicationprophecywritingpresageportentforetokenanticipatingconjecturingdivining

Examples from the Web for prognostic

Historical Examples

  • "She will recover," he murmured, as though giving utterance to a prognostic.

    The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete

    Emile Zola

  • The prognostic importance of the enumeration of the white blood corpuscles.

  • Wat Wilder has observed it at the same time, and confirms the prognostic.

    The Lone Ranche

    Captain Mayne Reid

  • It was Ellison who suggested that they were prognostic of death.

  • For that it was a prognostic of some fearful calamity, no one thought of doubting.

    Robin Tremayne

    Emily Sarah Holt

British Dictionary definitions for prognostic

prognostic

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or serving as a prognosis
  2. foretelling or predicting
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noun
  1. med any symptom or sign used in making a prognosis
  2. a sign or forecast of some future occurrence
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Word Origin

C15: from Old French pronostique, from Latin prognōsticum, from Greek prognōstikon, from progignōskein to know in advance
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

Word Origin and History for prognostic

adj.

c.1600, from Medieval Latin prognosticus, from Greek prognostikos "foreknowing," from progignoskein (see prognosis). Related: Prognostical (1580s).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
prognostic in Medicine

prognostic

(prŏg-nŏs′tĭk)
adj.
  1. Of, relating to, or useful in prognosis.
  2. Of or relating to prediction; predictive.
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n.
  1. A sign or symptom indicating the future course of a disease.
  2. A sign of a future happening; a portent.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.