Standard Lemma guide

overdiagnose

verb · 2 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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1

verb

Meaning 1

To diagnose something more often than it actually occurs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

Examples

  • Health experts deny claims that they overdiagnose mental health conditions.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: underdiagnose

2

verb

Meaning 2

To diagnose as a clinical case what is truly a subclinical case.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

Examples

  • Her GP incorrectly referred her to a pulmonologist, overdiagnosing what was clearly a case of subclinical, mild allergy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Germanic *uber Old English ofer- Middle English over- English over- Proto-Indo-European *dwóh1 Proto-Indo-European *dwísder. Ancient Greek διά (diá) Ancient Greek δια- (dia-) Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh3- Proto-Indo-European *-sḱéti Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h3sḱétider. Proto-Hellenic *gignṓskō Ancient Greek γῐγνώσκω (gĭgnṓskō) Ancient Greek δῐαγῐγνώσκω (dĭagĭgnṓskō) Proto-Indo-European *-tis Ancient Greek -τις (-tis) Ancient Greek -σῐς (-sĭs) Ancient Greek δῐᾰ́γνωσῐς (dĭắgnōsĭs)der. Latin diagnōsisder. English diagnosisbf. English diagnose English overdiagnose From over- + diagnose.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: surdiagnostiquer — to diagnose more frequently than actual occurrence
  • Spanish: sobrediagnosticar — to diagnose more frequently than actual occurrence