diagnostic

Used to find out what illness or problem someone or something has.

• The doctor ordered a diagnostic test.
• Diagnostic equipment helped locate the engine fault.
• She works in a hospital diagnostic laboratory.

Common phrases: diagnostic test, diagnostic tool, diagnostic imaging

Used to check what a student already knows before teaching begins.

• The class took a diagnostic test.
• A diagnostic quiz showed which topics needed revision.
• Teachers use diagnostic assessments to plan their lessons.

Common phrases: diagnostic assessment, diagnostic test, diagnostic quiz

Showing clearly that a person has a particular disease.

• The rash is a diagnostic sign.
• This symptom alone is not diagnostic of infection.
• Doctors looked for features diagnostic of the condition.

How to use it: diagnostic of something (This rash is diagnostic of the disease.)

Similar words: indicative, characteristic

Common phrases: diagnostic sign, diagnostic symptom, diagnostic of something

A test or method used to find out which illness someone has.

• The clinic uses a rapid diagnostic.
• New diagnostics can detect the infection earlier.
• Researchers compared several diagnostics for the same disease.

Similar words: diagnostic test

Common phrases: medical diagnostic, rapid diagnostic, molecular diagnostic