# clinical

/ˈkɫɪnəkəɫ/ (US) · /klˈɪnɪkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/clinical
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. medical practice

adjective · CEFR B2

relating to the examination and treatment of real patients rather than just studying in a lab or classroom.

For teachers: pertaining to the direct observation and treatment of patients, as opposed to theoretical or laboratory-based study.

- The new drug is now entering clinical trials to see how it affects real people.
- The professor emphasized that while textbook knowledge is essential, nothing replaces the intuition gained during years of clinical experience.

### 4. medical training session

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a lesson where medical students learn by watching a doctor work with a real patient.

For teachers: a period of practical medical instruction conducted at the bedside of a patient or in a healthcare facility.

- The nursing students have their first clinicals at the local hospital next week.
- During her clinicals, she rotated through several departments, including pediatrics and emergency medicine, to gain a broad perspective.

## Examples

- The hospital room felt very cold and clinical.
- The researchers moved from laboratory tests to clinical trials to see how the new medicine affected real patients.
- Her clinical assessment of the situation was devoid of any personal bias, providing the board with a stark and necessary look at the company's failing infrastructure.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.