histopathology: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical / Medical / Academic
Quick answer
What does “histopathology” mean?
The microscopic examination of diseased tissue to diagnose disease, especially cancer.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The microscopic examination of diseased tissue to diagnose disease, especially cancer.
The branch of pathology concerned with the study of the microscopic structure of diseased tissues, including the cellular changes that occur in disease.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Neutral, clinical, and technical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent in medical contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “histopathology” in a Sentence
The histopathology of [disease/organ] was [adjective].Histopathology revealed/showed [finding].A diagnosis was made/confirmed by histopathology.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “histopathology” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The tissue will be sent for histopathologising. (rare, non-standard)
- The specimen was histopathologically examined.
American English
- The lab will histopathologize the sample. (rare, non-standard)
- We need to get it histopathologically reviewed.
adverb
British English
- The tumour was histopathologically diagnosed as benign.
- The sample was analysed histopathologically.
American English
- The lesion was histopathologically proven to be cancerous.
- We examined the tissue histopathologically.
adjective
British English
- The histopathological features were consistent with lymphoma.
- A histopathology laboratory is essential for cancer diagnosis.
American English
- The histopathologic findings confirmed the malignancy.
- She works in a histopathology lab.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in biotech/pharma contexts discussing diagnostic services.
Academic
Core term in medical, biological, and veterinary science papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used; a layperson might say 'biopsy results'.
Technical
Essential term in clinical medicine, pathology, and research.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “histopathology”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “histopathology”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “histopathology”
- Mispronouncing as 'hi-sto-pathology' (stress is on the 'path').
- Misspelling as 'histiopathology'.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'three histopathologies') instead of an uncountable discipline or a report.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Histology is the study of the normal microscopic structure of tissues. Histopathology is the study of the microscopic structure of diseased tissues.
No, while crucial for cancer diagnosis and grading, histopathology is used to diagnose a wide range of diseases, including inflammatory conditions (like Crohn's disease), infections, and autoimmune disorders.
Histopathology is performed by trained medical professionals called pathologists or histopathologists, often with the assistance of biomedical scientists in a laboratory.
It varies. A simple, routine biopsy report might be ready in a few days. More complex cases requiring special stains, molecular tests, or second opinions can take one to two weeks or longer.
The microscopic examination of diseased tissue to diagnose disease, especially cancer.
Histopathology is usually technical / medical / academic in register.
Histopathology: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhɪstəʊpəˈθɒlədʒi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhɪstoʊpəˈθɑːlədʒi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The gold standard of diagnosis (often implied to be histopathology)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: HISTO (tissue) + PATHOLOGY (study of disease) = studying diseased tissue under a microscope.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISEASE IS A TEXT (histopathology is 'reading' the story written in the cells).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary focus of histopathology?