nosology

noun

no·​sol·​o·​gy nō-ˈsä-lə-jē  -ˈzä- 

1

: a classification or list of diseases

2

: a branch of medical science that deals with classification of diseases

nosological

ˌnō-sə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

or nosologic

ˌnō-sə-ˈlä-jik 

nosologically

ˌnō-sə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin nosologia, from Greek nósos "disease" (of obscure origin) + -o- -o- + New Latin -logia -logy

Note: Attic Greek nósos is paralleled by Homeric and Ionic noûsos, suggesting an earlier *noswos, though the Ionic form (chiefly Herodotus) may be taken from Homer; then the possibility arises that noûsos in Homer should have been read *nóssos, in which case *noswos is out of the question. In any event, neither form leads to a plausible etymology.

First Known Use

circa 1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

nosology

noun

no·​sol·​o·​gy nō-ˈsäl-ə-jē  -ˈzäl- 

plural nosologies

1

: a classification or list of diseases

2

: a branch of medical science that deals with classification of diseases

nosological

ˌnō-sə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

adjective

or nosologic

-ik 

nosologically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb