Prognosis refers to the prediction of the course or outcome of a disorder; a client's likelihood of recovering from a disorder; predicted development of a disorder over time. The Prognosis predicts the outcome of a disease and therefore the future for the patient. His prognosis is grim, for example, while hers is good. The word Prognosis comes from the Greek "prognostikos" which means "of knowledge beforehand". It combines pro (before) and gnosis (a knowing). Hippocrates used the word prognosis, much as we do today, to mean a foretelling of the course of a disease.