# idiopathic

/ˌɪdioʊˈpæθək/ (US) · /ˌɪdɪəpˈæθɪk/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/idiopathic
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

used for a disease or health problem when doctors cannot find the cause. You use it when tests do not explain why someone is ill.

For teachers: arising spontaneously or from an unknown cause, especially of disease. Often contrasted with conditions that have a clear, identified origin.

## Examples

- Doctors call her cough idiopathic because tests show no cause.
- After normal scans and blood tests, the neurologist diagnosed idiopathic facial pain and referred her for symptom management.
- Although labelled idiopathic, many chronic pain syndromes later gain clearer explanations as imaging and genetic testing improve, revealing subtle causes once hidden.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the noun it modifies, as in 'idiopathic pain'.

---

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.