diagnostic

di·ag·nos·tic  (dg-nstk)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or used in a diagnosis.

2. Serving to identify a particular disease; characteristic.

n.

1. The art or practice of medical diagnosis. Often used in the plural with a singular verb.

2. A symptom or a distinguishing feature serving as supporting evidence in a diagnosis.

3. An instrument or a technique used in medical diagnosis.

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[Greek diagnstikos, able to distinguish, from diagnstos, distinguished, from diagignskein, to distinguish; see diagnosis.]

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diag·nosti·cal·ly adv.

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	diagnostic - concerned with diagnosis; used for furthering diagnosis; "a diagnostic reading test"
	2.	diagnostic - characteristic or indicative of a disease; "a diagnostic sign of yellow fever"; "a rash symptomatic of scarlet fever"; "symptomatic of insanity"; "a rise in crime symptomatic of social breakdown" symptomatic characteristic - typical or distinctive; "heard my friend's characteristic laugh"; "red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn"; "stripes characteristic of the zebra"

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diagnostic

adjective symptomatic, particular, distinguishing, distinctive, peculiar, indicative, idiosyncratic, recognizable, demonstrative