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Misdiagnose: meaning, definitions and examples

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misdiagnose

 

[ mɪsˌdaɪəɡˈnoʊs ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

medical error

To misdiagnose is to make an incorrect diagnosis of a medical condition or disease. This error can lead to inappropriate treatments or therapies that may not address the actual issue. Misdiagnosis can stem from various factors, including insufficient information, ambiguous symptoms, or misinterpretation of tests. It is crucial in healthcare to ensure accurate diagnosis to provide effective treatment and improve patient outcomes.

Synonyms

incorrectly identify, misinterpret, mistake.

Examples of usage

  • The doctor was concerned he might misdiagnose the rare illness.
  • Misdiagnosing this condition could have serious consequences.
  • She felt frustrated after realizing she had been misdiagnosed for years.

Translations

Translations of the word "misdiagnose" in other languages:

🇵🇹 diagnosticar incorretamente

🇮🇳 गलत निदान करना

🇩🇪 falsch diagnostizieren

🇮🇩 diagnosis salah

🇺🇦 помилково діагностувати

🇵🇱 błędna diagnoza

🇯🇵 誤診する

🇫🇷 mal diagnostiquer

🇪🇸 diagnosticar incorrectamente

🇹🇷 yanlış teşhis koymak

🇰🇷 오진하다

🇸🇦 تشخيص خاطئ

🇨🇿 špatně diagnostikovat

🇸🇰 nesprávne diagnostikovať

🇨🇳 误诊

🇸🇮 napačno diagnosticirati

🇮🇸 ranghafa ranglega

🇰🇿 қате диагноз қою

🇬🇪 არასწორად დიაგნოზირება

🇦🇿 səhv diaqnoz qoymaq

🇲🇽 diagnosticar incorrectamente

Etymology

The term 'misdiagnose' is a combination of the prefix 'mis-', which means 'wrongly' or 'badly', and the word 'diagnose', which originates from the Greek word 'diagnōsis', meaning 'discernment' or 'distinction'. The prefix 'mis-' has been used in the English language since at least the 14th century to denote error or wrongness in an action. The practice of diagnosing medical conditions dates back to ancient civilizations, where practitioners used various methods, including observation and intuition, to determine the nature of a patient's ailment. With the development of modern medicine and diagnostic techniques, the possibility of misdiagnosis is also acknowledged as a significant issue, leading to increased awareness and research into the accuracy of medical assessments. As medicine has advanced, so has the attention given to the importance of correct diagnosis and the consequences of its errors.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,978, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.