retrospectoscope
n.— «The view through scopes—colonoscopes, arthroscopes and laparoscopes, to name a few—routinely aids physicians in narrowing diagnoses and arriving at a plan of care. But none is as illuminating as the one doctors refer to as the “retrospectoscope,” the scope of hindsight. The retrospectoscope brings startling clarity to the most mysterious disease processes: difficult decisions become brilliant choices, minor missteps turn into devastating errors, and the best of intentions can transform into deep regret and persistent what-if’s.» —“From Medical School to Middle Age ” by Pauline W. Chen New York Times Apr. 7, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Aubrey in Waco, Texas, says her mother used to warn the kids against contracting honkus of the bonkus, a fanciful name for a contagious disease. This colloquial term probably comes from the words bonk and konk, meaning “to hit” or...
Samantha from Charleston, South Carolina, says her mother and grandmother are of Italian heritage, and have always advised keeping one’s neck warm as a precaution against the mal aria. That sort of consigli della nonna, or...