aetiology

Meanings

1. 1noununcountablemedical

   The branch of knowledge that studies why a disease or condition develops.

   Grammar: Used without an or a for the field of study: the study of aetiology.

   Patterns

   • the aetiology of something

   Research into the aetiology of asthma has expanded in recent years.

   Students learn aetiology alongside diagnosis and treatment.

   The aetiology of the outbreak was traced to contaminated water.

2. 2nouncountableformal

   The set of causes behind a particular illness or problem.

   Grammar: Can take an or an: the disease has a complex aetiology.

   Patterns

   • the aetiology of something
   • a complex aetiology

   The aetiology of the disorder remains unclear.

   Doctors still debate the exact aetiology of migraines.

   The report describes a mixed aetiology involving genes and diet.

Word forms

Common combinations

unknown aetiology

The patient presented with a fever of unknown aetiology.

the aetiology of a disease

The study explores the aetiology of heart disease.

complex aetiology

Autoimmune conditions often have a complex aetiology.

viral aetiology

The doctors suspected a viral aetiology.

underlying aetiology

Treatment depends on the underlying aetiology.

Synonyms and how they differ

cause

Cause is the plain everyday word, while aetiology is a technical term for the whole account of how a condition arises.

origin

Origin points to where something began, and aetiology looks at all the factors that produce an illness.

pathogenesis

Pathogenesis describes how a disease develops over time, whereas aetiology focuses on what causes it in the first place.

Word family

aetiological adjective

relating to the causes of a disease

aetiologically adverb

in terms of causes

etiology noun

the American spelling

Commonly confused: aetiology or epidemiology?

Practice

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