[syn: etiology, aetiology]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
aetiology
n 1: the cause of a disease [syn: etiology, aetiology]
2: the philosophical study of causation [syn: etiology,
aetiology]