pathology

/pəˈθɒləd͡ʒi/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: pathologies

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The study of the nature of disease and its causes, processes, development, and consequences; now usually and especially in the clinical and academic medicine subsenses defined below. — The clinical biomedical specialty that provides microscopy and other laboratory services to clinicians (e.g., cytology, histology, cytopathology, histopathology, cytometry).

Noun

Examples

The surgeon sent a specimen of the cyst to the hospital's pathology department for staining and analysis to determine its histologic subtype.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The study of the nature of disease and its causes, processes, development, and consequences; now usually and especially in the clinical and academic medicine subsenses defined below. — The academic biomedical specialty that advances the aspects of the biomedical sciences that allow for those clinical applications and their advancements over time.

NounRegister: literary

Examples

Those three pioneering pathologists went on to become leaders in building the pathology departments at several universities.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “pathology” mean?

The study of the nature of disease and its causes, processes, development, and consequences; now usually and especially in the clinical and academic medicine subsenses defined below. — The clinical biomedical specialty that provides microscopy and other laboratory services to clinicians (e.g., cytology, histology, cytopathology, histopathology, cytometry).

Is “pathology” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.