How to Use Prognosis Plural (Explained, With Examples + Quiz)

What's the meaning of prognosis?

A prognosis is a "forecast of the probable course and outcome of a disease" or more broadly, "any forecast or prediction." While a diagnosis identifies what condition someone has, a prognosis predicts what will likely happen with that condition over time.

👍🏼 Examples: prognosis vs. prognoses

✓ The doctor gave a positive prognosis for recovery.

✓ Different specialists offered varying prognoses for the patient's condition.

prognosis (pronounced prog-no-siss) is singular.
prognoses (pronounced prog-no-seeze) is plural.

Greek plurals: prognosis & prognoses

As a noun, prognosis is irregular (it doesn't simply add "es", but modifies its singular ending). Like other Greek-derived nouns ending in "-is", it forms its plural by replacing the "-is" with "-es".

Singular	Plural
analysis	analyses
crisis	crises
diagnosis	diagnoses
prognosis	prognoses
synopsis	synopses

Greek nouns in English

Prognosis vs. diagnosis vs. analysis: what's the difference?

These three Greek-derived medical and analytical terms are often confused but have distinct meanings:

Term	Definition	Example
Prognosis (prognoses)	A forecast or prediction of the likely course and outcome of a disease or situation	"The prognosis for full recovery is excellent if treatment begins early."
Diagnosis (diagnoses)	The identification of a disease or problem by examining symptoms	"After extensive testing, the diagnosis was confirmed as pneumonia."
Analysis (analyses)	A detailed examination of the elements or structure of something	"The blood analysis revealed abnormal white cell counts."

Key distinction: A diagnosis tells you what the problem is, a prognosis predicts what will happen, and an analysis examines the details to understand something better.

Sentence examples: prognosis & prognoses

Noun: prognosis	Example sentences
prognosis (singular)	The oncologist's prognosis gave the family hope for the future. Despite the grim initial prognosis, she made a remarkable recovery. The veterinarian offered a cautious prognosis for the injured dog. His prognosis improved significantly after the successful surgery.
prognoses (plural)	The medical team's prognoses varied depending on treatment options. Long-term prognoses for this condition have improved dramatically. Different doctors gave conflicting prognoses about his recovery timeline. Statistical prognoses help patients understand their treatment choices.

Quotes from the media & literature, with prognosis

On the basis of such signs, the lesions of the diseased organs could be determined—these were the most objective guides to identifying disease, making prognoses and devising remedies.

—R. Porter, Blood & Guts, 2002

The patient is not reassured by a statistical prognosis; the individual fears that he may be 100% dead, and seeking diagnosis, treatment and above all reassurance, he turns to his family physician.

—Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1967

I had arrived to that certainty of prognosis, that I could have insured the life of an individual by the treatment I recommended, and his death by any other.

—Medical & Physical Journal, 1805

A treatise on the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases.

—P. P. Price, 1791

Synonyms & nearby words

Synonyms for prognosis

forecast prediction outlook projection expectation prospect prognostication anticipation assessment evaluation

Origin of the word prognosis

Prognosis comes from Greek πρόγνωσις (prógnōsis), meaning "foreknowledge, perceiving beforehand," from προγιγνώσκειν (progignóskein), "to know before." The prefix "pro-" means "before" and "gnosis" means "knowledge." This etymology reflects the word's meaning as a forecast or prediction about future outcomes, particularly in medical contexts.

FAQs

Q: What is the plural of "prognosis"?

A: The plural of "prognosis" is prognoses. Following Greek grammatical rules, the singular suffix "-is" is replaced with "-es". It's an irregular noun that doesn't simply add "s" or "es" to form the plural.

Q: How is "prognoses" (plural) pronounced?

A: The plural form "prognoses" is pronounced "prog-no-seeze". The singular "prognosis" is pronounced "prog-no-sis", so the ending sound changes from "-sis" to "-seeze" in the plural.

Q: What's the difference between prognosis and diagnosis?

A: A diagnosis identifies what condition or disease someone has (the "what"), while a prognosis predicts the likely course and outcome of that condition (the "what will happen"). A doctor first makes a diagnosis, then provides a prognosis based on that diagnosis.

Q: How do I use prognosis vs prognoses in a sentence?

A: Use "prognosis" as singular ("The prognosis is favorable") and "prognoses" as plural ("Several prognoses were considered"). Don't use the singular form after plural indicators like "many," "several," or "different."

Q: Are other medical terms pluralized like prognosis?

A: Yes, many medical and scientific terms from Greek follow this pattern. They replace "-is" with "-es" in the plural. Examples include diagnosis (diagnoses), analysis (analyses), paralysis (paralyses), synthesis (syntheses), and hypothesis (hypotheses).

Sources

“Prognostication, N., Sense 1.b.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, March 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/4714109221.
Bynum, W. F. "Porter, Roy Sydney (1946–2002), historian." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. September 01, 2017. Oxford University Press. Date of access 10 Sep. 2025,