pathoformic

[ path-uh-fawr-mik ]

adjective

1. Pathology. pertaining to the beginning of a disease, especially to symptoms that occur in the preliminary stages of mental disease.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pathoformic¹

patho- + -form + -ic

Example Sentences

The need has fortunately since been recognized and several studies of special topics treated in this book—e. g. depositions of witnesses, perception, the pathoformic lie, superstition, probability, sensory illusions, inference, sexual differences, etc.—have become the subjects of a considerable literature, referred to in our second edition.

From Project Gutenberg

I also suspect that the essentially pathoformic lie has some relation to sex, perhaps to perversity or impotence, or exaggerated sexual impulse.

From Project Gutenberg

I once believed that the pathoformic lie was not of great importance in our work, because on the one hand, it is most complete and distinct when it deals with the person of the speaker, and on the other it is so characteristic that it must be recognized without fail by anybody who has had the slightest experience with it.

From Project Gutenberg

But since, I have noticed that the pathoformic lie plays an enormous part in the work of the criminalist and deserves full consideration.

From Project Gutenberg

Lie, the, 474; the pathoformic, 479.

From Project Gutenberg