path-, patho-, -path-, -pathia, -pathic, -pathology, -pathetic, -pathize, -pathy
(Greek: feeling, sensation, perception; suffering, disease, or disorder; a system of treating diseases)
In medicine, some of these elements usually mean "someone who suffers from a disease of, or one who treats a disease"; so, they should not be confused with the words that mean "feeling" which are also shown on these pages even though both meanings come from the same Greek element.
An attitude of indifference regarding the existence of a god: Apatheism is a disinclination to care all that much about one’s own religion, and an even stronger lack of interest in caring about other people’s religious beliefs.
apathetic (ap" uh THET ik) (adjective), more apathetic, most apathetic
1. Relating to a lack of emotion or a reduced level of activity: Dr. Diedrich thought that Nora's apathetic behavior was the beginning of a significant form of depression.
2. Descriptive of a lack of interest and having no concern about something or someone: The apathetic turnout at the election suggested that the voters were unconcerned about the reelection of the mayor.
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© ALL rights are reserved.
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2. Descriptive of a lack of interest and having no concern about something or someone: The apathetic turnout at the election suggested that the voters were unconcerned about the reelection of the mayor.
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for a list of additional Mickey Bach illustrations.
apathetically (adverb), more apathetically, most apathetically
Relating to how a person has a lack of interest in, or concern for things that others find moving or exciting: Jane's mother thought that her daughter was perhaps sick because she acted apathetically by not showing any emotions and just lying around.
A condition of being inactive, lethargic, or dull: Mary's parents thought that she suffered from apathism because she was quite sluggish in her reactions and so slow-moving.
1. A lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference: There was widespread apathy among the voters, seemingly as the result of the ongoing scandals involving some elected officials.
2. Indolence of mind, not caring about what is calculated to move the feelings, or to excite interest or action: The sound of the waves of the ocean and the warmth of the sun on the beach brought on a general sense of apathy among the tourists visiting the popular island resort.
3. Freedom from, or insensibility to, suffering, hence no passion or feeling; a passionless existence: From 1847, Lewes Historical Philosophy, "Apathy was considered by the Stoics as the highest condition of Humanity".
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© ALL rights are reserved.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
2. Indolence of mind, not caring about what is calculated to move the feelings, or to excite interest or action: The sound of the waves of the ocean and the warmth of the sun on the beach brought on a general sense of apathy among the tourists visiting the popular island resort.
3. Freedom from, or insensibility to, suffering, hence no passion or feeling; a passionless existence: From 1847, Lewes Historical Philosophy, "Apathy was considered by the Stoics as the highest condition of Humanity".
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
Any disease of the arteries: In one of his classes in medical school, Tom learned a lot about arteriopathy, and when not discovered earlier enough, could be a serious cause of many deaths.
The study of the various diseases that occur between the bones of the body: There was an entire department at the medical school for arthropathology, allowing the students to study the diseases of the connecting links in the fingers, toes, knees, elbows, etc. under scientific conditions.
A disease, dysfunction, or inflammation of bodily joints: Unless the arthropathy was diagnosed and cured, Henderson was at risk of becoming crippled due to the disease in the links between his bone structures.
A written account of an illness prepared by the affected patient: Mr. Smith had a strong urge to write an autopathography, describing the symptoms and effects his illness had on the rest of his life.
Eyestrain; a disorder of eyesight: Because Tim worked at his computer at work and then later at home, he suffered from blepsopathia as the ophthalmologist diagnosed him as having.
An infectious degenerative brain disease occurring in cattle; mad cow disease: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord.
BSE is a neurodegenerative disease found in domestic cattle which is related to a number of other similar diseases found in other animal species, including humans.
The most well-known of these other diseases are scrapie, found in sheep, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, found in humans.
The family of diseases is caused by an abnormally configured protein called a prion. The function of the protein in its normal configuration is not certain.
The diseases are similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans, except the progressive loss of brain function is more rapid.
A diseased condition of the bronchi: Bronchopathy concerns the vital air passages of the lungs.
Any disease of a bursa: Bursopathy concerns a sac or saclike cavity filled with a viscid [VIS id] or sticky fluid that is situated at places in the tissues at which friction would otherwise develop.
An obsolete term for a severe affliction or malady: Jane's grandmother spoke of her dangerous illness as being a cacopathy.
Deeply puzzled by the cacopathy of the patient, the elderly and wise country doctor urged her to get lots of rest, drink only boiled water that had cooled, and to only eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
Any disease of the capillaries; microangiopathy: Capillaropathy is frequently related to the vascular changes in diabetes mellitus.
