Diagnosis vs. Diagnoses — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on August 21, 2023
Diagnosis is the singular form meaning the identification of a disease or condition; diagnoses is its plural, indicating multiple identified conditions.
Difference Between Diagnosis and Diagnoses
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Diagnosis is a term used predominantly in the medical field. It refers to the identification of an illness or disorder based on its signs and symptoms. Diagnoses, on the other hand, is the plural form of diagnosis. This means that when there are multiple identifications of different illnesses or conditions in one or more individuals, the term used is diagnoses.
In the realm of clinical settings, it's common for a patient to undergo a series of tests. Once the results are in, the doctor arrives at a conclusion known as a diagnosis. If the same patient has multiple issues identified, or if several patients have their conditions identified during a medical camp or session, the doctor would have made several diagnoses.
Diagnosis doesn't solely pertain to medical conditions. It can also be applied to situations in which an analysis is being conducted to determine the root cause of a particular problem. Diagnoses, in a similar context, would refer to multiple determinations or analyses made over a range of problems or issues.
For someone unfamiliar with medical or analytical jargon, it might be challenging to discern between diagnosis and diagnoses. However, understanding that diagnosis pertains to a single identification, and diagnoses relates to multiple identifications, simplifies the distinction.
One might wonder why the distinction is crucial. In documentation or clinical records, accuracy is paramount. Recording an incorrect number of diagnosis (singular vs. plural) could lead to misinformation and subsequent errors in treatment or analysis. Thus, understanding the difference between diagnosis and diagnoses is essential for clarity and precision.
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Comparison Chart
Grammatical Number
Singular
Plural
Refers To
One identified condition or problem
Multiple identified conditions or problems
Usage in Sentences
Often preceded by "a" or "the"
Rarely preceded by "a" or "the"
Common Context
When talking about one specific condition
When discussing multiple conditions simultaneously
Syntactical Placement
"The diagnosis of the patient was pneumonia."
"The diagnoses for several patients were varied."
Compare with Definitions
Diagnosis
Identification of a disease or condition based on its signs and symptoms.
Her diagnosis was confirmed after the lab tests.
Diagnoses
Plural of diagnosis, indicating multiple determinations.
The doctor provided three possible diagnoses for her symptoms.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine "cause and effect".
Diagnoses
The act or process of identifying or determining the nature and cause of a disease or injury through evaluation of patient history, examination, and review of laboratory data.
Diagnosis
A conclusion or decision reached through analysis.
The engineer's diagnosis of the system failure was a faulty circuit.
Diagnoses
Several identifications of diseases based on their signs and symptoms.
The health camp resulted in various diagnoses, from flu to diabetes.
Diagnosis
The art or act of identifying a disease from its signs.
His expertise in diagnosis is renowned in the medical community.
Diagnoses
Multiple conclusions or decisions arrived at through analysis.
The team's diagnoses of the system's issues varied.
Diagnosis
The cause or origin of a problem or situation.
The diagnosis of the financial downturn was excessive corporate debt.
Diagnoses
The opinion derived from such an evaluation.
Diagnosis
The act or process of identifying or determining the nature and cause of a disease or injury through evaluation of patient history, examination, and review of laboratory data.
Diagnoses
A critical analysis of the nature of something.
Diagnosis
Critical perception or scrutiny; judgment based on such scrutiny; esp., perception of, or judgment concerning, motives and character.
The quick eye for effects, the clear diagnosis of men's minds, and the love of epigram.
My diagnosis of his character proved correct.
Diagnoses
The conclusion reached by such analysis.
Diagnosis
The art or act of recognizing the presence of disease from its signs or symptoms, and deciding as to its character; also, the decision arrived at.
Diagnoses
A range of statements or conclusions about several observed phenomena.
The therapist had several diagnoses for the diverse cases presented.
Diagnosis
Scientific determination of any kind; the concise description of characterization of a species.
Diagnoses
(Biology) A brief description of the distinguishing characteristics of an organism, as for taxonomic classification.
Diagnosis
The identification of the nature and cause of something (of any nature).
Diagnoses
To make a diagnosis.
Diagnosis
Synonym of diagnose
Diagnoses
To distinguish or identify (a disease, for example) by diagnosis.
Diagnosis
A statement or conclusion concerning the nature of an observed phenomenon.
The psychologist's diagnosis explained the reasons for the child's behavior.
Diagnoses
To identify (a person) as having a particular disease or condition by means of a diagnosis.
Diagnosis
The conclusion reached by such analysis.
Diagnoses
To analyze the nature or cause of
Diagnose the reasons for an economic downturn.
Diagnosis
(Biology) A brief description of the distinguishing characteristics of an organism, as for taxonomic classification.
Diagnoses
Multiple recognized origins or causes of problems.
His diagnoses of the company's problems were spot-on.
Diagnosis
(taxonomy) A written description of a species or other taxon serving to distinguish that species from all others; especially a description written and published in Latin.
Diagnosis
Hence, the act or process of identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon, especially the abnormal behavior of an animal or artifactual device; as, diagnosis of a vibration in an automobile; diagnosis of the failure of a sales campaign; diagnosis of a computer malfunction.
Diagnosis
Identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon
Diagnosis
The opinion derived from such an evaluation.
Diagnosis
A critical analysis of the nature of something.
Diagnosis
(medicine) The identification of the nature and cause of an illness.
Common Curiosities
What is the meaning of diagnosis?
Diagnosis refers to the identification of a disease, condition, or problem based on its signs, symptoms, and other relevant information.
Is diagnosis only used in medical contexts?
While commonly used in medical contexts, diagnosis can also be applied in other areas, like determining the root cause of technical or mechanical problems.
Can I use diagnoses when talking about one illness?
No, diagnoses is plural and should be used when discussing multiple identified illnesses or problems.
In which situations is it crucial to differentiate between diagnosis and diagnoses?
Differentiating is especially vital in medical documentation or any context where precision and clarity are paramount.
What does diagnoses refer to?
Diagnoses is the plural form of diagnosis, denoting multiple instances of identifying diseases, conditions, or problems.
Can one patient have multiple diagnoses?
Yes, a patient can have multiple conditions or illnesses identified, resulting in multiple diagnoses.
Are diagnosis and diagnoses pronounced the same way?
No, diagnosis is pronounced as "dai-ug-NOH-sis," while diagnoses is "dai-ug-NOH-seez."
Can both diagnosis and diagnoses be used as verbs?
No, both words are primarily used as nouns. The verb form would be "diagnose" (e.g., "The doctor will diagnose the condition").
What's the root origin of the word diagnosis?
The word diagnosis originates from the Greek word "diagnōsis," meaning "a distinguishing."
How can I remember the difference between diagnosis and diagnoses?
Remember that diagnosis refers to a single identification, while diagnoses denotes multiple identifications.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
