clinical

[ klin-i-kuhl ]

adjective

1. pertaining to a clinic.
2. concerned with or based on actual observation and treatment of disease in patients rather than experimentation or theory.
3. extremely objective and realistic; dispassionately analytic; unemotionally critical:

   She regarded him with clinical detachment.

4. pertaining to or used in a sickroom:

   a clinical bandage.

5. Ecclesiastical.
   1. (of a sacrament) administered on a deathbed or sickbed.
   2. (of a convert or conversion) made on a deathbed or sickbed.

clinical

/ ˈklɪnɪkəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a clinic
2. of or relating to the bedside of a patient, the course of his disease, or the observation and treatment of patients directly

   a clinical lecture

   clinical medicine

3. scientifically detached; strictly objective

   a clinical attitude to life

4. plain, simple, and usually unattractive

   clinical furniture

Derived Forms

• ˈclinicalness, noun
• ˈclinically, adverb

Other Words From

• clini·cal·ly adverb
• non·clini·cal adjective
• non·clini·cal·ly adverb
• over·clini·cal adjective
• over·clini·cal·ly adverb
• semi·clini·cal adjective
• semi·clini·cal·ly adverb
• un·clini·cal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of clinical¹

First recorded in 1770–80; clinic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Earlier this year, the results of another UI phase 2 clinical trial in patients with glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer, were published.

From Science Daily

Dr Sue Mann, NHS England's national clinical director for women’s health, acknowledged some women wait too long for crucial gynaecology appointments, despite staff working hard to see more patients.

From BBC

"The Women's Health Network, led by the first ever clinical lead for women's health in Wales, has been established to deliver improvements including in endometriosis care, treatment and support," they said.

From BBC

"The study findings point to a need for more data on artemisinin resistance and recurrence of clinical malaria in children with severe malaria," John said.

From Science Daily

If students are planning to go into a research or clinical science field, they should have a strong understanding of what's involved, he said.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• analytic
• impersonal
• scientific