prognostic

1 of 2

noun

prog·​nos·​tic präg-ˈnä-stik 

1

: something that foretells : portent

2

: prognostication, prophecy

prognostic

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or serving as ground for prognostication or a prognosis

prognostic weather charts

favorable prognostic signs

Synonyms

Noun

• auguring
• augury
• bodement
• cast
• forecast
• forecasting
• foretelling
• predicting
• prediction
• presaging
• prognosis
• prognosticating
• prognostication
• prophecy
• prophesy
• soothsaying
• vaticination

Examples of prognostic in a Sentence

Noun

a prognostic of a global pandemic that turned out to be distressingly accurate

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What is contained in this prognostic are rules or instructions by which to predict the very season, day, and hour of death coming to one who is sick, by the signs that are here set down. —David Treuer, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021

The prognostics became official after the 76ers rookie point guard was examined by Dr. Ben Kibler at the Medical Director of the Shoulder Center of Kentucky on Sunday. —Keith Pompey, Philly.com, 29 Oct. 2017

Adjective

Wyss-Coray anticipates this research could lead to a simple blood test that could guide prognostic work—in other words, a test that could help foretell future illness. —Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 6 Dec. 2023

Studies show this test has lower prognostic accuracy in Black women. —Nathalie McDowell Johnson, STAT, 19 Sep. 2023

Including race in prognostic models intended to reward individual efforts can also increase disparities. —Anirban Basu, The Conversation, 26 May 2023

Can the method be turned into a prognostic tool, inferring to what extent UWS patients are on the road to recovery? —Christof Koch, Scientific American, 1 Nov. 2017

Look, my prognostic powers have failed me in the past, and I’ll doubtlessly be surprised again in 2023 and beyond. —Marc Cooper, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2023

Exercising and being otherwise healthy are other good prognostic signs. —Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 28 Dec. 2022

Now, this paper, by a group of scientists associated with a brain injury research initiative called TRACK-TBI, shows that the assays are not only diagnostic, but also prognostic. —Akila Muthukumar, STAT, 12 Aug. 2022

The authors claim that their methodology works better than existing prognostic methods. —Jonathan Vanian, Fortune, 18 Jan. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pronostik, pronostique, borrowed from Old French & Late Latin; Old French pronostique, borrowed from Late Latin prognōsticum (Latin as plural prognōstica "signs predicting what sort of weather is coming," used as the title of Cicero's translation of a work on celestial phenomena by the Greek poet Aratus), borrowed from Greek prognōstikón, noun derivative from neuter of prognōstikós "knowing beforehand, prescient" — more at prognostic entry 2

Adjective

Middle English pronostik "foreshadowing," borrowed from Late Latin prognōsticus "foreshadowing, of a prognosis," borrowed from Greek prognōstikós "knowing beforehand, prescient," derivative of progignṓskein "to recognize in advance, foresee, have prior knowledge of" (after gnōstikós "of knowledge, cognitive") — more at prognosis, gnostic

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

prognostic

adjective

prog·​nos·​tic präg-ˈnäs-tik 

: of, relating to, or serving as ground for a prognosis

a prognostic sign