pathology
/pəˈθɒlədʒi
/noun [mass noun]
1The science of the causes and effects of diseases, especially the branch of medicine that deals with the laboratory examination of samples of body tissue for diagnostic or forensic purposes: research people skilled in experimental pathology...
- Formaldehyde is used widely as a tissue preservative in pathology laboratories and embalming services.
- Experts in anaesthesiology, pathology, gynaecology and radiology are particularly in demand.
- The provision of perinatal and paediatric pathology services is a sign of an enlightened society.
1.1 Medicine Pathological features considered collectively; the typical behaviour of a disease: the pathology of Huntington’s disease...
- Although reduction of mtDNA is a critical factor in type 2 diabetes pathology, the question remains as to the nature of the original insult.
- If the only evaluation is a semen analysis, underlying pathology can be missed.
- Semiquantitative analysis of lung pathology confirmed these changes.
1.2 Medicine A pathological condition: the dominant pathology is multiple sclerosis...
- Underlying rotator cuff pathologies should be treated before injection.
- This section reviews the emerging knowledge on the role of DCs in several major lung pathologies.
- Many pathologies were recorded from the remains, such as evidence of poor nutrition, poor dental hygiene and a life of physical, repetitive work.
1.3 [usually with modifier] Mental, social, or linguistic abnormality or malfunction: the city’s inability to cope with the pathology of a burgeoning underclass...
- At the time, many cities seemed consumed with social pathologies like illegitimacy, crime, and drug addiction.
- And I think it has led to a lot of the social pathologies that we see in the United States almost 30 years later.
- I do think that mental pathologies can be written, and I think that prose fiction is a particularly good way of doing it.
Origin
Early 17th century: from modern or medieval Latin pathologia (see patho-, -logy).