1
: arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause : primary
idiopathic epilepsy
2
: peculiar to the individual

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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

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Veterinarians diagnosed Cheeto with feline idiopathic cystitis, which causes a painful inflammation of the bladder. — Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026 Rentosertib is an experimental drug, discovered with the help of artificial intelligence, that is being developed to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a serious disease that causes scarring in the lungs. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2026 The drug was initially created to address idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that negatively impacts the lungs’ role in delivering oxygen to the bloodstream. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026 That something wasn’t idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, her next diagnosis. — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for idiopathic

Word History

First Known Use

1669, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of idiopathic was in 1669

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Cite this Entry

“Idiopathic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiopathic. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

Medical Definition

idiopathic

adjective
: arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause : primary
idiopathic epilepsy
idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
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