adj · noun · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈklɪn.ɪ.kəl/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪnɪkəl
CMU ARPABET:K L IH1 N AH0 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:K L IH1 N IH0 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Dealing with the practical management of patients, in practice at the point of care; as contrasted with other health care venues (see clinical medicine for more explanation).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of or pertaining to a clinic, such as a medical clinic or law clinic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Medicine is now more often practiced in a clinical setting than in the home.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Cool and emotionless, in a professional way, as contrasted with an impetuous or unprofessional way.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
We took a clinical approach to resolving conflicts.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: detached, disinterested
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Excellent and precise.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: accurate, exact
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Of or relating to a bed, especially a deathbed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Examples
a clinical convert: one who turns to religion on their death-bed
clinical baptism
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A medical student's session spent in a real-world nursing environment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: education
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
adjective
Meaning 8
relating to a clinic or conducted in or as if in a clinic and depending on direct observation of patients
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
clinical observation
clinical case study
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
adjective satellite
Meaning 9
scientifically detached; unemotional
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he spoke in the clipped clinical monotones typical of police testimony
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- Proto-Indo-European *-éyti Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- Proto-Indo-European *-né- Proto-Indo-European *ḱl̥néyti Proto-Hellenic *klíňňō Ancient Greek κλῑ́νω (klī́nō) Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek κλῑ́νη (klī́nē) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós) Ancient Greek κλῑνῐκός (klīnĭkós)bor. Late Latin clīnicus French cliniquebor. English clinic English -al English clinical From clinic + -al.
Across languages
Translations
45 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Asturian:
clínicu
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Bulgarian:
клиничен
(kliničen)
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Catalan:
clínic
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Danish:
klinisk
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Dutch:
klinisch
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Esperanto:
klinika
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Finnish:
kliininen
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Galician:
clínico
— of or pertaining to a clinic
German:
klinisch
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Hindi:
नैदानिक
(naidānik)
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Hungarian:
klinikai
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Indonesian:
klinis
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Italian:
clinico
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Japanese:
臨床の
(rinshō no)
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Latvian:
klīnisks
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Malay:
klinikal
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Norwegian Bokmål:
klinisk
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Norwegian Nynorsk:
klinisk
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Persian:
کلینیکی
(keliniki)
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Polish:
kliniczny
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Portuguese:
clínico
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Russian:
клини́ческий
(kliníčeskij)
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Spanish:
clínico
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Swedish:
klinisk
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Turkish:
klinik
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Ukrainian:
кліні́чний
(kliníčnyj)
— of or pertaining to a clinic
Esperanto:
pacienta
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
French:
clinique
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Hindi:
नैदानिक
(naidānik)
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Indonesian:
klinis
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Latvian:
klīnisks
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Malay:
klinikal
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Persian:
بالینی
(bâlini)
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Polish:
kliniczny
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Spanish:
clínico
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Swedish:
klinisk
— dealing with how to practically manage patients
Afrikaans:
klinies
— cool and emotionless
Esperanto:
klinikeca
— cool and emotionless
Finnish:
kylmä
— cool and emotionless
Finnish:
tunteeton
— cool and emotionless
Malay:
klinikal
— cool and emotionless
Polish:
bezduszny
— cool and emotionless
Polish:
beznamiętny
— cool and emotionless
Russian:
бесстра́стный
(besstrástnyj)
— cool and emotionless