idiopathic
adjective
Did you know?
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
Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 26 Sep. 2024
While most muscle cramps occur due to idiopathic (unknown) causes, they are often linked with factors such as exercise, muscle overuse, straining, and diet.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 1 Oct. 2024
The drug also aims to treat idiopathic hypersomnia, or IH.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2024
Optic neuritis can be idiopathic and resolve within a year.
—Katie Gutierrez, TIME, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for idiopathic 
Dictionary Entries Near idiopathic
Cite this Entry
“Idiopathic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiopathic. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
idiopathic
adjective
Share