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pathological. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
pathological, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
pathological in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
pathological you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
From pathology + -ical.
Pronunciation
Adjective
pathological (comparative more pathological, superlative most pathological)
- (medicine) Pertaining to pathology.
1868, Felix von Niemeyer, J. L Parke, Clinical Lectures on Pulmonary Phthisis, Moorhead, Simpson & Bond, page 3:But we can no longer regard the mere fact of these diffuse condensations of the lung becoming yellow and caseous as an evidence of their tuberculous nature, especially since the pathological anatomists, and among them Virchow, have shown that formations of the most different kind, having not the slightest connection with tubercule— as, for example, old cancerous masses, lymphatic glands swollen by a hyperplasia of cells, hæmorrhagical infarctions, abscesses, &c.— undergo exactly the same caseous transformation.
- (medicine) Relating to, amounting to, or caused by a physical or mental disorder.
1981 April 18, Michael Bronski, “Good Production -- Bad Play”, in Gay Community News, page 10:Paul Canning's performance as Julian gives the character an emotional center that is not in the script: He is vulnerable without being pathological, needy without being pathetic.
- (mathematics) Having properties which are counterintuitive or difficult to handle.
- (computer science) Having properties that cause unusually bad behaviour, especially regarding correctness or performance.
Synonyms
- (medicine, of a physical or mental disorder): pathologic (US)
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations
relating to or caused by a physical or mental disorder
mathematics: having counterintuitive properties
computer science: having properties that cause unusually bad behaviour
Anagrams