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misdiagnosis

American  
[mis-dahy-uhg-noh-sis] / ˌmɪs daɪ əgˈnoʊ sɪs /

noun

plural

misdiagnoses

  1. an incorrect diagnosis.

misdiagnosis British  
/ ˌmɪsdaɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs /

noun

  1. the act or an instance of misdiagnosing or being misdiagnosed

"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

Etymology

Origin of misdiagnosis

First recorded in 1945–50; mis- 1 + diagnosis

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.

His parents believe errors in his care - including an initial misdiagnosis - may have contributed to his death.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Recent cases of alleged misdiagnosis illustrate this point.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 30, 2025

In some cases, this could lead to a misdiagnosis when sleep deprivation is the underlying issue.

From Science Daily • Dec. 29, 2025

“The upshot is that the ‘debasement’ theory looks like a misdiagnosis of the early-August to mid-October surge in the price of gold,” he added.

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025

A misdiagnosis of this type was not uncommon at the time.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

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.