Diagnosis
Etymology
From Greek diagnosis, "a distinguishing," from dia-, "apart," and gnosis, "knowledge" — literally "knowing thoroughly" or telling things apart. The heart of it is discrimination: sorting one possible cause from another. Medicine made it the act of naming a disease, and the word now applies to anything from a car fault to an organizational failure.
noun · /dy-ug-NOH-sis/
The identification of what illness or problem is present, worked out from its signs and symptoms.
What it names
The relief and clarity of finally naming a problem — the step that turns vague trouble into something you can act on.
Example
Weeks of uncertainty ended with a clear diagnosis and, finally, a plan.
Related idea
Prognosis looks ahead to the likely outcome; diagnosis pins down what is happening right now.