I. | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷|nästik, -tēk adjective
Etymology: Greek diagnōstikos, from diagnōstos to be distinguished (from diagignōskein to distinguish) + -ikos -ic
1. : adapted to or used for the furthering of diagnosis : employing or marked by the methods of diagnosis : concerned with diagnosis
diagnostic reading tests
a diagnostic clinic
diagnostic social work
diagnostic information
2. : serving to distinguish, identify, or determine : distinctive: as
a. : characteristic of or indicating the presence of a particular disease
a diagnostic sign of yellow fever — American Guide Series: Louisiana
b. : distinctive of the species or other group to which an animal or plant belongs
a diagnostic character
c. : serving to identify a mineral or fossil
colored by impurities so that the property is not diagnostic — W.J.Miller
: indicative of the conditions of origin or the geologic age of a formation
some minerals are diagnostic of certain source rocks — F.J.Pettijohn
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : the art or practice of diagnosis — often used in plural
his rare skill in diagnostics — T.B.Macaulay
b. : a diagnostic conclusion, opinion, or explanation
a false diagnostic
2. : a distinguishing mark
the true diagnostic of modern gentility is parasitism — G.B.Shaw