idiopathic
adjective
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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
Pia Singh, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2024
Optic neuritis can be idiopathic and resolve within a year.
—Katie Gutierrez, TIME, 19 Sep. 2024
Throughout this period, Xolair was available to patients with asthma, and in 2014, it was also approved for idiopathic, or unexplained, chronic hives.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2024
The medications used to help children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis can help decrease pain, improve function, and minimize potential joint damage.
—Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for idiopathic 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'idiopathic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Idiopathic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiopathic. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
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idiopathic
adjective
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