pathology
puh-THOLL-uh-jee
/pəˈθɒl.ə.dʒi/
The study of the causes and effects of diseases, especially the branch of medicine that deals with laboratory examination of samples.
It is the 'bridge' between science and medicine, providing the final diagnosis.
The story behind the word. From Greek 'pathos' (suffering/disease) and '-logia' (study). It literally means 'the study of suffering'.
Word relationships
- etiology: Etiology is specifically the study of causes; pathology is the study of the disease's nature and effects.
Commonly confused with
- pathogen: A pathogen is the thing that causes disease (like a virus); pathology is the study of the disease.
Word family
- pathologist (noun): A doctor who studies pathology.
- pathological (adjective): Relating to pathology; also used to mean compulsive.
Collocations
- clinical pathology
- pathology lab
- speech pathology
- cellular pathology
Example sentences
- "The pathology report confirmed the presence of abnormal cells in the tissue sample." Medical specialty
- "Pathology is the study of suffering, from the Greek pathos." Academic text
Memory hook
Pathology: Studying the 'path' of the disease. The study of suffering.
When not to use
Don't use it to mean 'a problem' (e.g., 'the pathology of the broken engine'); use 'malfunction'.
Fun facts
- Pathologists are often called 'the doctor's doctor' because other doctors rely on them for diagnoses.
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