Iatrogenic
/ˌaɪ.æt.roʊˈdʒɛn.ɪk/noun
Caused unintentionally by medical examination, treatment, or professional care.
Did you know?The word is not inherently supernatural or malicious: in medical history, “iatrogenic” can describe anything from a drug side effect to an injury caused during treatment.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἰατρός (iatrós)
“Physician or healer”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἰάομαι (iáomai)
“To heal or cure”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-γενής (-genḗs)
“Produced by, born from, or originating in”
Early 20th Century
German
iatrogen
“Caused by a physician or medical treatment”
1920s
English
iatrogenic
“Produced unintentionally by medical care”
Modern English
English
iatrogenic
“Resulting from a medical intervention, whether through error, side effect, or unavoidable complication”
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