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
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
The possible causes for seizures include idiopathic epilepsy, exposure to and ingestion of toxins, brain lesions or masses, and more.
—Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 10 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for idiopathic
Cite this Entry
“Idiopathic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiopathic. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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idiopathic
adjective
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