path-, patho-, -path-, -pathia, -pathic, -pathology, -pathetic, -pathize, -pathy +
(Greek: feeling, sensation, perception; suffering, disease, disorder; a system of treatment of disease)
In medicine, some of these elements usually mean “one who suffers from a disease of, or one who treats a disease”; so, they should not be confused with the “feeling” words which are also shown on these pages.
pathetic
1. In medicine, denoting the fourth cranial nerve (pathetic nerve), the
nerveus trochlearis (fourth cranial nerve; pathetic nerve; supplies the superior oblique muscle of the eye).
2. A reference to that which arouses sorrow or pity.
Pathetic is the condition of the man who knows it all but has no one to tell it to.
—Evan Esar
pathetically
1. Of, relating to, expressing, or arousing pity, sympathy, or tenderness; inadequate, pitiful; such as, a pathetic attempt at playing basketball.
2. Affecting or exciting emotion; originally, moving emotions or passions; stirring; now, specifically, arousing the tender emotions, especially pity, sorrow, sympathy, melancholy; affecting, often to tears.
3. Sometimes, in a weakened sense, exciting pity and amusement; as, to hear a pathetic story; to see a pathetic scene; to present a pathetic appearance.
pathetic fallacy
The attribution of human feelings or qualities to inanimate nature, often thought of as a device producing false emotionalism.
pathoanatomical
Referring to the anatomy of diseased tissues.
pathoanatomy, anatomic pathology
1. Pathologic anatomy or a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the normally visible, microscopic, and molecular examination of organs, tissues, and whole bodies; such as, an autopsy.
2. The anatomical study of changes in the function, structure, or appearance of organs, or tissues, including postmortem examinations and the study of biopsy specimens.
pathobiology
Pathology with emphasis more on the biological than on the medical aspects.
pathoclisis
A specific elemental sensitivity to specific toxins, or a specific affinity of some toxins for certain systems of organs; a tendency for toxins to attack certain organs.
pathocryptia
The tendency to deny one's disease or to verbally express very little about it.
pathodixia
The tendency to talk too much about one's disease accompanied by a desire to display the injured or diseased part.
pathodontia
In dentistry, diseases of the teeth.
pathoformic
A reference to the start of a disease; said of symptoms at the beginning of a mental disorder.
pathogen
Any disease-producing micro-organism such s a bacterium or a virus.
pathogenesis
The origin and developmental course of a disease or mental disorder.
pathogenicity
1. Capacity of something to cause disease or the ability to produce pathologic changes.
2. The capacity of a micro-organism to produce disease.
pathogens
Any disease-causing micro-organisms, which proceed to establish themselves, multiply, and produce various symptoms in their hosts.

You can find self-scoring quizzes over many of the words in this subject area by going to this
Vocabulary Quizzes page.