Definition of “idiopathic”.

The word “idiopathic” is used in medicine to describe a disease or condition that arises without a known cause.

• Idio = personal, or one’s own

• Pathic = disease or suffering

So, idiopathic literally means “a disease of its own” — in other words, doctors don’t yet know why it develops.

For example, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is arthritis in children where the exact trigger is unknown. While genetics, infections, or immune system factors may play a role, the precise cause cannot be identified in each individual.