prognosis

prahg-NOH-sis

meaning in plain English

A guess about how a sickness will likely get better or worse over time.

for example

After the tests, the doctor gave me a hopeful prognosis that my broken arm would heal in six weeks.

When you hear a prognosis, it’s like a weather report for your body—except instead of rain or sun, it tells you if the storm of illness will pass quickly or linger. Why do we even need a prognosis? Because knowing what’s likely ahead helps people plan, whether it’s for treatment, work, or just peace of mind.