idiopathic
adjective
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Idiopathic joins the combining form idio- (from Greek idios, meaning "one's own" or "private") with -pathic, a form that suggests the effects of disease. The combining form idio- is typically found in technical terms. Examples include idiographic, meaning "relating to or dealing with something concrete, individual, or unique"; idiolect, meaning "the language or speech pattern of one individual at a particular period of life"; and idiotype, meaning "the molecular structure and conformation of an antibody that confers its antigenic specificity." A more common idio- word is idiosyncrasy, which most commonly refers to an unusual way in which a person behaves or thinks, or to an unusual part or feature of something.
Examples of idiopathic in a Sentence
Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 18 Nov. 2025
When that happens, the condition is called idiopathic epilepsy.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
The book was inspired by a series of conversations after Ladd's diagnosis with a life-threatening lung disease — idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis — in 2018.
—James Mercadante, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
In the United States, 9% to 20% of adults have some form of chronic idiopathic constipation, in which the cause of the condition is unknown.
—Gina Park, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Idiopathic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiopathic. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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idiopathic
adjective
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