Prognosis
Etymology
From Greek prognosis, "foreknowledge," from pro-, "before," and gnosis, "knowledge" (the root of "diagnosis" too). The idea is knowing beforehand. Medicine uses it for the expected course of a disease, often expressed in odds and timelines. In wider use, "the prognosis for the project" simply means its likely outcome.
noun · /prog-NOH-sis/
A forecast of how an illness is likely to develop and how a patient is expected to fare.
What it names
The forward-looking half of a doctor’s job — not what you have, but what is likely to happen next — and a handy word for any informed prediction.
Example
With early treatment, the doctor said, the prognosis was very good.
Related idea
Diagnosis identifies what is wrong now; prognosis predicts where it is headed.