diagnoses

A doctor writes down his diagnoses in a patient's medical chart.

Definition

1. Noun (plural form of "diagnosis"):

   • Medical identification: "diagnoses" refers to multiple instances of identifying the nature and cause of a disease, injury, or condition through examination and analysis.
   • Scientific or technical determination: In broader contexts, "diagnoses" can mean multiple conclusions about the nature of a problem or situation based on careful study.

2. Verb (third-person singular simple present of "diagnose"):

   • To identify a disease or condition: The act of determining the nature of an illness or problem based on symptoms or evidence.
   • To analyze a situation: To determine the cause or nature of a complex issue or malfunction.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The doctor reviewed several diagnoses before recommending treatment. (Multiple medical conclusions about different patients' conditions.)
  • The engineer's diagnoses of the system failures were accurate. (Multiple determinations about technical problems.)

• Verb:

  • She diagnoses patients with rare diseases at the research hospital. (She identifies illnesses based on symptoms and tests.)
  • The mechanic diagnoses engine problems by listening to the sound. (He identifies the cause of a malfunction.)

Advanced Usage

• "differential diagnoses": A list of possible conditions that could explain a patient's symptoms, used in medical reasoning.

  • The physician considered several differential diagnoses before ordering tests. (The doctor listed potential conditions to rule out.)

• "clinical diagnoses": Diagnoses made based on observable signs and symptoms, often without laboratory confirmation.

  • Many common infections are based on clinical diagnoses alone. (Diagnoses rely on physical examination rather than tests.)

Variants and Related Words

• Diagnosis (n, singular): The singular form, referring to one identification.

  • A single diagnosis was enough to start treatment. (One determination.)

• Diagnostic (adj): Relating to the identification of a disease or problem.

  • The diagnostic test confirmed the doctor's suspicion. (The test used for identification.)

• Diagnostician (n): A specialist who makes diagnoses.

  • The skilled diagnostician quickly identified the rare condition. (A doctor expert in diagnosis.)

Synonyms

• Identification (n): The process of recognizing or naming a condition.
• Analysis (n): Detailed examination of elements or structure.
• Determination (n): The act of establishing something conclusively.

Related Idioms

• "a diagnosis of the situation": A thorough assessment of a problem or circumstance.

  • The manager's diagnosis of the project delays was spot-on. (His analysis of the reasons for the delays.)

• "self-diagnosis": The act of identifying one's own condition without professional help.

  • Self-diagnosis via the internet can be misleading. (Identifying one's own illness without a doctor.)