On Friday 22 Dec 2006 9:21 pm, Udhay Shankar N wrote: > Favourites in an ironic sense, in that they are both quite often used > to mask ignorance or culpability. > > idiopathic = "I have no idea what this is" > iatrogenic = "Oops, I fscked up."
The meanings are close to the original - but "idiopathic" is often replaced by a term that is more easily understood these days "of unknown origin" Iatrogentic = iatros (doctor) + genic - caused by the doctor - like the diabetes you got after you needed high dose steroids to keep you alive after you got dead drunk and did something stupid. shiv
