diagnostic

adjective

di·ag·nos·tic | \ ˌdī-ig-ˈnä-stik

, -əg-\

variants: or less commonly diagnostical \ ˌdī-ig-ˈnä-sti-kəl

, -əg- \

Definition of diagnostic

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : of, relating to, or used in diagnosis a diagnostic tool

b : using the methods of or yielding a diagnosis diagnostic tests

2 : serving to distinguish or identify a diagnostic feature

diagnostic

noun

Definition of diagnostic (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the art or practice of diagnosis —often used in plural

2 : a distinguishing mark

Other Words from diagnostic Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about diagnostic

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Other Words from diagnostic

Adjective

diagnostically \ ˌdī-ig-ˈnä-sti-k(ə-)lē

, -əg- \ adverb

Noun

diagnostician \ ˌdī-ig-(ˌ)nä-ˈsti-shən

, -əg- \ noun

Examples of diagnostic in a Sentence

Adjective

Ultrasound is now widely used as a diagnostic tool. One important diagnostic feature of this condition is a mild rash.

Noun

the thesis that moral decline is the infallible diagnostic of a decadent society

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

In reality, Medicare covers a number of diagnostic tests. — Glenn Ruffenach, WSJ, "How Big Must Your Nest Egg Be?," 10 Feb. 2019 Based in Newtown, Meridian makes clinical diagnostic systems for the early testing of everything from foodborne illnesses to respiratory disorders. — Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "Meridian Bioscience sued over stock drop, diligence in buying lead blood-test firm," 10 Jan. 2018 Being prepared Before seeing the doctor for a second opinion, be sure to have your records forwarded to the second doctor to avoid having to repeat diagnostic tests. — chicagotribune.com, "The importance of a second opinion," 15 Apr. 2018 New therapies and diagnostic tests have the potential to help dogs with a progressive neurodegenerative disease live longer lives. — Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, "Tests suggest new hope for dogs with a common disease | The Sacramento Bee," 10 Jan. 2018 But there's enormous confusion over what fibromyalgia truly is, and no reliable diagnostic tests or cures exist. — Leslie Goldman, Woman's Day, "More Women Have Fibromyalgia Than Breast Cancer," 10 Sep. 2017 Great Day: An owner presents a car with a drivability problem that won’t code (there’s no stored diagnostic trouble code). — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "How to Become a Skilled Tradesperson," 13 Mar. 2019 In addition, there aren’t really any incentives to entice the companies developing these drugs to work with those developing diagnostic technologies. — Derek Angus, STAT, "Current efforts to fight sepsis aren’t working. We need a bolder approach," 14 June 2018 Dorman sold the vaccine company and switched to making diagnostic technology. — Adam Rogers, WIRED, "The Man Who Says Science Blew Its Best Shot at an AIDS Vaccine," 1 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

For both clinical diagnostics and global health managements, the ICD is widely considered a definitive diagnostic manual. — Brittany Shoot, Fortune, "Are Video Games An Addiction? The World Health Organization Thinks So," 18 June 2018 After interviewing the owner, taking the car for a test drive, and running some basic diagnostics, the problem turns out to be a misreporting mass airflow sensor caused by nothing more than a loose wire. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "How to Become a Skilled Tradesperson," 13 Mar. 2019 The medical devices and diagnostics business, which is being restructured, reported a 0.2 percent sales dip to $6.59 billion. — Linda A. Johnson, The Seattle Times, "Prescription drugs, lower taxes, power J&J 3Q beat," 16 Oct. 2018 The financing is meant to help those countries continue to invest in anti-malarial drugs, insecticide-laced bed nets, and better clinical diagnostics, even as Zika and Dengue have become the bigger public health bogeyman. — Megan Molteni, WIRED, "How ‘Self-Limiting’ Mosquitos Can Help Eradicate Malaria," 21 June 2018 Her company, the now-notorious Theranos, was supposed to revolutionize medical diagnostics and bring walk-in blood testing to places like Walgreens. — John Anderson, WSJ, "‘The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley’ Review: A Bitter Pill," 14 Mar. 2019 The companies said Wednesday the deal would grow Zoetis’s presence in veterinary diagnostics, a sector that has had an annual compound growth rate of about 10% for the past three years. — Allison Prang, WSJ, "Zoetis to Buy Veterinary-Diagnostics Company Abaxis for $2 Billion," 16 May 2018 The West Side facility, on 58th Street and 10th Avenue, will have operating rooms, physician and advanced rehabilitation services and advanced diagnostics. — Melanie Grayce West, WSJ, "Hospitals See Opportunity in Bringing Care Facilities to Patients," 3 Jan. 2019 The ThermalXR, mid-priced (of the three phone-mountable devices made by Seek Thermal) at $299, allows a homeowner or contractor a world of possibilities in terms of diagnostics. — Andrew Northshield, Popular Mechanics, "Firefighter Reviews New Thermal-Imaging Camera," 21 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'diagnostic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.