neuropath

English

Etymology

From neuro- +‎ -path.

Pronounciation

  • enPR: n(y)o͝orə-păth′
  • (contemporary Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈn(j)ʊə̯.əˌpaθ/, /ˈn(j)ɔː.əˌpaθ/
    (conservative Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈn(j)ʊə̯.əˌpæθ/, /ˈn(j)ɔː.əˌpæθ/
  • (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈn(j)ʊɹ.əˌpæθ/
  • (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈn(j)ʊə̯.əˌpæθ/
  • (New Zealand) IPA(key): /ˈn(j)ʉ(ː)ə̯.əˌpɛθ/, /ˈn(j)oː.əˌpɛθ/
  • (Scotland) IPA(key): /ˈn(j)ʉɹ.əˌpaθ/
  • (India) IPA(key): /ˈn(j)uwə̯ʳ.oˌpat̪/, /ˈn(j)oːʳ.oˌpat̪/, /ˈn(j)uːɾ.oˌpat̪/
  • Rhymes: -ʊɹəpæθ
  • Hyphenation: neu‧ro‧path

Noun

neuropath (plural neuropaths)

  1. (medicine, dated) A person with neuropathy, perhaps also including (in outdated nosology) a neurosis: someone who has, or is predisposed to, some disease of the nervous system.
  2. (medicine, historical) A physician with specialization in neuropathy, corresponding to today's specialties of neuropathologist or neurologist: one who focuses on nervous conditions in pathology.

Usage notes

Both senses of the word are outdated, as patients are no longer labeled as if their diseases were their identities, just as a person with syphilis is no longer called luetic (noun); and no neuropathologist or neurologist today is called a neuropath in English.