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pathology

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noun pa·thol·o·gy \ pə-ˈthä-lə-jē \

Definition of pathology

plural pathologies
1 :the study of the essential nature of diseases and especially of the structural and functional changes produced by them
  • studied plant pathology
2 :something abnormal:
a :the structural and functional deviations from the normal that constitute disease or characterize a particular disease
  • the pathology of pneumonia
b :deviation from propriety or from an assumed normal state of something nonliving or nonmaterial
  • the pathology of wine
c :deviation giving rise to social ills
  • connections between these pathologies … and crime
  • —Wendy Kaminer
  • social pathology

See pathology defined for English-language learners

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Examples of pathology in a Sentence

  1. the pathology of lung diseases

Recent Examples of pathology from the Web

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Origin and Etymology of pathology

New Latin pathologia & Middle French pathologie, from Greek pathologia study of the emotions, from path- + -logia -logy

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

PATHOLOGY Defined for English Language Learners

pathology

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noun

Definition of pathology for English Language Learners

  • : the study of diseases and of the changes that they cause

  • : changes in a person, an animal, or a plant that are caused by disease

Medical Dictionary

pathology

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noun pa·thol·o·gy \ -jē \

medical Definition of pathology

plural pathologies
1 :the study of the essential nature of diseases and especially of the structural and functional changes produced by them
2 :the anatomic and physiological deviations from the normal that constitute disease or characterize a particular disease
3 :a treatise on or compilation of abnormalities
  • a new pathology of the eye

Learn More about pathology

  1. See words that rhyme with pathology Spanish Central: Translation of pathology Nglish: Translation of pathology for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pathology for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pathology

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pathology

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Examples: pathology in a Sentence