clinical
Something that's clinical is based on or connected to the study of patients. Clinical medications have actually been used by real people, not just studied theoretically.
When you hear about clinical drug trials, you'll know there are patients taking them and being observed — this type of test can be called clinical research. Another way to use this adjective is to mean "emotionally cold" or "impersonal." If you have a choice between a detached, clinical French teacher and a warm, charming one, you might be more likely to choose the latter. This second meaning of clinical, from the mid-1920s, originally meant "as unemotional as a medical report."
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relating to a clinic or conducted in or as if in a clinic and depending on direct observation of patients“clinical observation”“clinical case study”
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scientifically detached; unemotional“he spoke in the clipped clinical monotones typical of police testimony”synonyms:
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing clinical
Ray Bradbury explores the dark side of technology in this story about a family living in a mechanized house. Click here to explore our lists for other works by Ray Bradbury.
Bryan Stevenson details his experiences as a defense attorney, focusing on the case of Walter McMillian, who insisted on his innocence even after he was sentenced to the death penalty. This book provides an eye-opening behind-the-scenes look at how the criminal justice system works — or doesn't.
This biography immortalizes a woman whose cancerous cells contributed to medical breakthroughs around the world.