pathology
noun
pa·thol·o·gy
pə-ˈthä-lə-jē 
plural pathologies
1
: the study of the essential nature of diseases and especially of the structural and functional changes produced by them
studied plant pathology
2
: something abnormal:
a
: the structural and functional deviations from the normal that constitute disease or characterize a particular disease
the pathology of pneumonia
b
: deviation from propriety or from an assumed normal state of something nonliving or nonmaterial
the pathology of wine
c
: deviation giving rise to social ills
connections between these pathologies … and crime—
Wendy Kaminer
Wendy Kaminersocial pathology
Examples of pathology in a Sentence
the pathology of lung diseases
Recent Examples on the Web
One of them was Roger Mitchell, the former chief medical examiner for the District of Columbia who is now chair of pathology at Howard University.
—Nichole Manna, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2024
The researchers found that almost all of those patients developed the biological pathology of Alzheimer’s, and the authors say that two copies of APOE4 should now be considered a cause of Alzheimer’s — not simply a risk factor.
—Pam Belluck, New York Times, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pathology 
Nichole Manna, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2024
The researchers found that almost all of those patients developed the biological pathology of Alzheimer’s, and the authors say that two copies of APOE4 should now be considered a cause of Alzheimer’s — not simply a risk factor.
—Pam Belluck, New York Times, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for pathology
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pathology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pathology
Cite this Entry
“Pathology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathology. Accessed 11 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pathology
noun
pa·thol·o·gy
pə-ˈthäl-ə-jē
plural pathologies
1
: the study of diseases and especially of the changes in the body produced by them
2
: something abnormal
especially
: the disorders in structure and function that occur in a particular disease
Medical Definition
pathology
noun
pa·thol·o·gy
-jē
plural pathologies
1
: the study of the essential nature of diseases and especially of the structural and functional changes produced by them
2
: the anatomic and physiological deviations from the normal that constitute disease or characterize a particular disease
3
: a treatise on or compilation of abnormalities
a new pathology of the eye
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