prognosis

noun

prog·​no·​sis präg-ˈnō-səs 

plural prognoses präg-ˈnō-ˌsēz 

1

: the prospect of recovery as anticipated from the usual course of disease or peculiarities of the case

2

: forecast, prognostication

Did you know?

Prognosis Is Not Just a Medical Term

With its prefix pro-, meaning "before", prognosis means basically "knowledge beforehand" of how a situation is likely to turn out. Prognosis was originally a strictly medical term, but it soon broadened to include predictions made by experts of all kinds. Thus, for example, economists are constantly offering prognoses (notice the irregular plural form) about where the economy is going, and climate scientists regularly prognosticate about how quickly the earth's atmosphere is warming.

Synonyms

• auguring
• augury
• bodement
• cast
• forecast
• forecasting
• foretelling
• predicting
• prediction
• presaging
• prognostic
• prognosticating
• prognostication
• prophecy
• prophesy
• soothsaying
• vaticination

Example Sentences

Right now, doctors say his prognosis is good.

The president had a hopeful prognosis about the company's future.

Recent Examples on the Web

Get the full report on Jobe’s prognosis from Our Man Petzold here. —Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 21 Mar. 2023

In 2008, the doctor’s prognosis came true and as predicted, Wassmer was registered as blind in her forties. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2023

Damar Hamlin ‘will play professional football again,’ NFL players union doctor says The Buffalo Bills safety, who suffered a mid-game cardiac arrest last month, has received an optimistic prognosis on his playing future. —Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 9 Feb. 2023

Two physicians must verify the patient’s prognosis. —Alison Cross, Hartford Courant, 18 Jan. 2023

Despite his diagnosis and alarming prognosis, Hawking continued his studies at Cambridge University, and went on to change the subject of cosmology. —Grace Gavilanes, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2023

Kelly is also highly skeptical of treating a physician’s six-month prognosis as an exact science. —Robert Weisman, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Dec. 2022

The prognosis had been grim, but after four months of treatment, the former president defied tough odds to emerge cancer-free. —Mary Jordan, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2023

Once prostate cancer has spread far from the original tumor, the prognosis is grim. —Linda Carroll, NBC News, 12 Jan. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Greek prognōsis, literally, foreknowledge, from progignōskein to know before, from pro- + gignōskein to know — more at know

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

prognosis

noun

prog·​no·​sis präg-ˈnō-səs 

plural prognoses -ˈnō-ˌsēz 

1

: the prospect of recovery of an individual who has a disease based on the usual course of the disease and the characteristics of the individual who is sick

2

: forecast entry 2

Medical Definition

prognosis

noun

prog·​no·​sis präg-ˈnō-səs 

plural prognoses -ˌsēz 

1

: the act or art of foretelling the course of a disease

2

: the prospect of survival and recovery from a disease as anticipated from the usual course of that disease or indicated by special features of the case

the prognosis is poor because of the accompanying cardiovascular disease

—P. A. Mead et al.