idiopathic
adjective
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Idiopathic joins the combining form idio- (from Greek idios, meaning "one's own" or "private") with -pathic, a form that suggests the effects of disease. The combining form idio- is typically found in technical terms. Examples include idiographic, meaning "relating to or dealing with something concrete, individual, or unique"; idiolect, meaning "the language or speech pattern of one individual at a particular period of life"; and idiotype, meaning "the molecular structure and conformation of an antibody that confers its antigenic specificity." A more common idio- word is idiosyncrasy, which most commonly refers to an unusual way in which a person behaves or thinks, or to an unusual part or feature of something.
Examples of idiopathic in a Sentence
Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 14 July 2025
New research from the University of Montreal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has revealed a critical link between anxiety/stress and recurring bouts of a painful bladder condition—feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC).
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025
Most patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension have a history of obesity or recent weight gain.
—Danielle Wilhour, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
Another neurological condition, which Agarwal has recently been seeing in patients of all ages, is idiopathic intracranial hypertension, which is high intracranial pressure in the brain.
—Elizabeth Yuko, Flow Space, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for idiopathic
Cite this Entry
“Idiopathic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiopathic. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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idiopathic
adjective
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