PsychologyAugust 11, 2026

pathological

path-uh-LAH-jih-kuhl

Definition

Relating to or caused by a physical or mental disease; abnormal or unhealthy.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'pathos' meaning 'suffering' or 'disease' and 'logos' meaning 'study'. It entered English in the 17th century to describe conditions pertaining to pathology.

In the news

The article uses the term to distinguish between normal age-related changes and harmful, disease-driven decline in brain function. It highlights that social isolation can trigger specific, unhealthy physiological processes independent of the subjective feeling of loneliness.

Social isolation harms the aging brain independently of loneliness

Read the full article ↗

PsyPost

Related words

ethicist

An expert or professional whose work focuses on applying ethical principles and moral…

Psychology

futurist

A person who studies current trends to predict, analyze, and plan for future developments.

Psychology

macrophages

A type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills microorganisms, removes dead cells,…

Psychology

mammogram

A low-dose X-ray examination of the breasts used to detect and diagnose breast disease.

Psychology

microglia

Small, specialized immune cells within the central nervous system that act as the brain's…

Psychology

neurodegeneration

The progressive loss of structure or function of neurons in the brain, which leads to…

Psychology

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.