patologiset

Patologiset is the plural form of the Finnish adjective patologinen, used to describe things related to pathology or disease, and also to express abnormal or deviant characteristics in a non-medical sense. The term derives from patologia, the branch of medical science that studies the causes and effects of diseases, and it entered general language with a similar meaning of disease-related or abnormal.

In medical and scientific contexts, patologiset refers to findings, processes, or changes associated with disease. Common phrases include patolo giset löydökset (pathological findings), patologiset muutokset (pathological changes), and patologinen tila (pathological condition). In clinical documentation, description such as patologiset muutokset in kudoksessa or patologinen löytö signals abnormalities identified through examination or testing.

In everyday language, patologiset can be used figuratively to describe extreme, irrational, or maladaptive behavior or traits. Expressions such as patologiset taipumukset or patologinen valehtelu characterize patterns perceived as persistent and disruptive, rather than episodic. While the figurative use is common, it carries a strong diagnostic nuance and can be pejorative, so it is employed with caution, especially in non-medical discussions.

Usage notes: patologinen, and its inflected forms like patologiset, are primarily employed in formal or scientific Finnish. For precise descriptions outside medical contexts, speakers may choose more specific terms related to psychology, psychiatry, or behavioral science, rather than relying solely on the broader label of pathology. See also pathology, medical terminology, and mental-health terminology.