prognosis
noun
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
Examples of prognosis in a Sentence
Justin Taylor, The New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2024
Because of its rarity, there has not been a lot of research done, and the prognosis is grim.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
Earlier diagnosis and treatment lead to better prognoses for breast cancer patients.
—Danielle Whitham, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
Despite the grim prognosis, Marley stayed positive.
—Alex Gurley, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024
When patients do want to know about their diagnosis and prognosis, physicians should communicate the information in clear, non-medical, language.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
No further details are being shared about his treatment or prognosis, a palace spokesperson said, but the king returned to London on Monday to begin out-patient care.
—Doha Madani, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2024
If her prognosis is correct, Lee would be back about the time Kansas State plays No. 23 West Virginia on Feb. 21.
—Dave Skretta, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
Despite the hospital visits and the dire prognosis of her disease, Heather would not stop drinking.
—Kunle Falayi, The Arizona Republic, 25 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prognosis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near prognosis
Cite this Entry
“Prognosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prognosis. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
prognosis
noun
Medical Definition
prognosis
noun
P. A. Mead et al.
More from Merriam-Webster on prognosis
Nglish: Translation of prognosis for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of prognosis for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prognosis
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