PATHOLOGICAL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does pathological mean? 

• PATHOLOGICAL (adjective)
  The adjective PATHOLOGICAL has 3 senses:

1. of or relating to the practice of pathology

2. caused by or evidencing a mentally disturbed condition

3. caused by or altered by or manifesting disease or pathology

  Familiarity information: PATHOLOGICAL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PATHOLOGICAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to the practice of pathology

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

pathologic; pathological

Context example:

pathological laboratory

Pertainym:

pathology (the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases)

Derivation:

pathology (the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Caused by or evidencing a mentally disturbed condition

Context example:

a pathological urge to succeed

Similar:

neurotic; psychoneurotic (affected with emotional disorder)

Derivation:

pathology (any deviation from a healthy or normal condition)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Caused by or altered by or manifesting disease or pathology

Synonyms:

diseased; morbid; pathologic; pathological

Context example:

pathological bodily processes

Similar:

unhealthy (not in or exhibiting good health in body or mind)

Derivation:

pathology (any deviation from a healthy or normal condition)

 Context examples 

A disorder characterized by a pathological process of the teeth occurring during tooth development.

(Dental Developmental Disorder, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

The pathological stage is based on how different from normal the cells in the samples look under a microscope.

(Pathological staging, NCI Dictionary)

A pathological process in which normal cells are transformed into malignant cancer cells within a primary tumor.

(Carcinogenesis, NCI Thesaurus)

Changes such as abnormal, pathological, benign, malignant, etc.

(Cervical Change, Food and Drug Administration)

Tumors should be verified by pathological examination.

(Amsterdam Criteria, NCI Thesaurus)

A pathological increase in the effort and frequency or breathing movements during the perinatal period.

(Perinatal Respiratory Distress, NCI Thesaurus)

Amyloid-beta (Abeta), a major component of senile plaques, has various pathological effects on cell and organelle function.

(Alzheimer's Disease Pathway KEGG, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

A pathological condition manifested as a pouch or sac opening from a tubular or saccular organ.

(Diverticulum, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Insulin resistance is a pathological condition linked to obesity, in which cells fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin which helps the body metabolize glucose.

(When Liver Immune Cells Turn Bad, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

“There are many problems of disease, many strange pathological possibilities, in the East, Watson.”

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)