Prognosis
noun /prɒɡˈnəʊsɪs/ — A forecast of the likely course of a disease.
Definition
A forecast of the likely course and outcome of a disease — based on the current state of the patient and known patterns of how the disease develops; more broadly, a forecast of any situation's likely development.
Beyond the definition
Receiving a prognosis is one of the most charged human experiences — the moment medicine shifts from diagnosis to prediction. A good prognosis is relief; a poor one reorders everything. The word carries the weight of medical authority applied to the future: this is what is likely to happen.
Origin & history
From Greek prognosis (foreknowledge), from pro- (before) + gignoskein (to know). The knowledge before — the knowledge ahead of the disease's actual course.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The prognosis was cautiously optimistic — full recovery was likely with treatment.
She asked for the honest prognosis and received it with the steadiness she had always promised herself she would have.
The economic prognosis for the region was not encouraging.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Prognosis” when the meaning fits your context: A forecast of the likely course and outcome of a disease — based on the current state of the patient and known patterns of how the disease develops; more broadly, a forecast of any situation's likely development.
Synonyms
forecast, prediction, outlook
Related words
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Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Regrowing Plant in Conservatory
An adult with a mobility aid looks at a plant that is slowly regrowing after being pruned in a sunlit conservatory.
The regrowing plant serves as a prognosis for the adult’s own recovery. By observing the plant’s pattern of renewal, the person is essentially forecasting their own likely course of recovery, based on observed evidence and the known patterns of healing.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Prognosis" mean?
Prognosis is noun meaning: A forecast of the likely course of a disease.. A forecast of the likely course and outcome of a disease — based on the current state of the patient and known patterns of how the disease develops; more broadly, a forecast of any situation's likely development.
Where does the word "Prognosis" come from?
From Greek prognosis (foreknowledge), from pro- (before) + gignoskein (to know). The knowledge before — the knowledge ahead of the disease's actual course.