Pathologiques

Pathologiques is the plural form of the French adjective pathologique, which designates anything pertaining to pathology or indicating abnormality, disease, or dysfunction. In clinical and scientific French, it is used to describe processes, states, or observations that signal disease or deviation from normal physiology, anatomy, or behavior. The singular form pathologique is commonly used as an attributive adjective (état pathologique, lésion pathologique), with the plural pathologiques agreeing with the noun it modifies.

Etymology: The term derives from pathologie (pathology) and ultimately from Greek pathos, meaning suffering, combined with the suffix -logie. In French, pathologique has a broader semantic range than the English "pathological," encompassing both medical abnormalities and occasionally nonmedical notions of abnormality.

Usage in medicine and biology: In medicine, pathologiques typically refer to diseases or pathological changes, such as pathologies of the heart, brain, or liver. Descriptions may include "tissu pathologique" to indicate diseased or altered tissue. In neurology or radiology, imaging or histology may reveal pathologiques findings that support a diagnosis.

Usage in psychology and psychiatry: Pathologiques is used to discuss mental disorders and behavioral abnormalities, for example in phrases like pathologies mentales or comportements pathologiques, signaling states that diverge from expected or healthy functioning.

Philosophical and social usage: Beyond strictly medical contexts, some writers use pathologique to describe phenomena deemed unhealthy or deviant relative to a standard, often carrying evaluative implications. In scientific discourse, however, it is common to distinguish descriptive medical usage from metaphorical or normative uses.