Aetiology

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  pathology \pa*thol"o*gy\ (-j[y^]), n.; pl. {pathologies}
     (-j[i^]z). [Gr. pa`qos a suffering, disease + -logy: cf. F.
     pathologie.]
     1. (Med.) The science which treats of diseases, their nature,
        causes, progress, symptoms, etc.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     Note: Pathology is general or special, according as it treats
           of disease or morbid processes in general, or of
           particular diseases; it is also subdivided into
           internal and external, or medical and surgical
           pathology. Its departments are {nosology},
           {[ae]tiology}, {morbid anatomy}, {symptomatology}, and
           {therapeutics}, which treat respectively of the
           classification, causation, organic changes, symptoms,
           and cure of diseases.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Med.) The condition of an organ, tissue, or fluid
        produced by disease.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     {Celluar pathology}, a theory that gives prominence to the
        vital action of cells in the healthy and diseased
        functions of the body. --Virchow.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  aetiology \ae`ti*ol"o*gy\ ([=e]`t[i^]*[o^]l"[-o]*j[y^]), n. [L.
     aetologia, Gr. a'itiologi`a; a'iti`a cause + lo`gos
     description: cf. F. ['e]tiologie.]
     1. The science, doctrine, or demonstration of causes; esp.,
        the investigation of the causes of any disease; the
        science of the origin and development of things; etiology.
        AS
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The assignment of a cause.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Med.) The cause or origin of a disease. Now more commonly
        written {etiology}.
        [PJC + AS]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  aetiology
       n 1: the cause of a disease [syn: {etiology}]
       2: the philosophical study of causation [syn: {etiology}]