subclinical

American  

[suhb-klin-i-kuhl] / sʌbˈklɪn ɪ kəl /

adjective

Medicine/Medical.

1. pertaining to an early stage of a disease; having no noticeable clinical symptoms.

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subclinical British  

/ sʌbˈklɪnɪkəl /

adjective

1. med of or relating to the stage in the course of a disease before the symptoms are first noted

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Other Word Forms

• subclinically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of subclinical

First recorded in 1930–35; sub- + clinical

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

subclinical

Whether the medication caused it, accelerated a subclinical condition, or simply unmasked something already there is nearly impossible to determine.

From Slate ● Mar. 22, 2026

But it underscored “that humans ARE susceptible to subclinical infections and possible reassortment risks, which we already knew, I guess.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2025

"For 10-year-olds, trying to find indicators of wear and tear in the body can be challenging because youth at this age generally are not manifesting any clinical or subclinical symptoms yet," he said.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 4, 2024

They did find that participants who scored high for emotional eating did show some signs of subclinical cardiovascular damage 13 years later.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 13, 2023

In addition, because hearing ability exists on a continuum, even subclinical hearing loss can mean a greater risk for dementia.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 20, 2022