pathologization

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noun

The treatment of a health or behaviour condition as if it were a medical condition.

“Near-synonym: overmedicalization”

Similar
overmedicalization
OriginEnglish pathologize ← French pathologie ← Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos) →
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Meanings

nounpathologization (countable and uncountable, plural pathologizations)

plural pathologizations

  1. countableuncountablemedicineThe treatment of a health or behaviour condition as if it were a medical condition.

    Near-synonym: overmedicalization

    Synonyms: overmedicalization

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe treatment of a health or behaviour condition as if it were a medical condition.

Similar
overmedicalization
Also see
disease mongeringmedicalizationovermedicalization

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπάσχω (páskhō)
  2. Ancient Greekπᾰ́θος (pắthos)
  3. Proto-Indo-European*leǵ-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*lóǵos
  5. Proto-Hellenic*lógos
  6. Ancient Greekλόγος (lógos)
  7. Frenchpathologie
  8. Englishpathology
  9. Englishpathologize
  10. Englishpathologization

From pathologize + -ation.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pathologization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pathologization

MLA

“pathologization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pathologization. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pathologization,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pathologization.

Source: pathologization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.