symptom

[simp-tuhm]

See more synonyms for symptom on Thesaurus.com

noun

any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and serving as evidence of it.
a sign or indication of something.
Pathology. a phenomenon that arises from and accompanies a particular disease or disorder and serves as an indication of it.

Origin of symptom

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin symptōma < Greek sýmptōma occurrence, that which falls together with something, equivalent to sym- sym- + ptō- (variant stem of píptein to fall) + -ma noun suffix of result

Related formspre·symp·tom, noun

Synonyms for symptom

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

2. signal, token, mark.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for symptom

syndrome, manifestation, index, mark, note, token, warning, indication, evidence, expression, significant, indicia

Examples from the Web for symptom

Contemporary Examples of symptom

“Mistletoe infections can be a symptom of larger problems,” notes Shaw.
Mistletoe is the Vampire of Plants
Helen Thompson
December 21, 2014
Within days of the first symptom, a headache, the patient was fighting for his life.
The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, Dec 8-14, 2014
William Boot
December 13, 2014
Hannigan thinks that pretending to be a basketball player was a symptom of a larger confidence issue.
‘My Crazy Love’ Reveals the Craziest Lies People Tell for Love
Kevin Fallon
November 18, 2014
But there is no evidence Duncan had a fever, a symptom of the Ebola virus, when he entered the country.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: October 26
PunditFact.com
October 26, 2014
As has been well documented, the first symptom of an Ebola infection is a fever.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: October 19
PunditFact.com
October 19, 2014

Historical Examples of symptom

It may be that this same insensibility was a symptom of the disease.
The Man of Adamant
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Not a symptom of disobedience during the rest of the voyage.
Tales And Novels, Volume 5 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
Precocity is sometimes a symptom of disease rather than of intellectual vigour.
Self-Help
Samuel Smiles
I have spoken of the lack of prayer in the individual Christian as a symptom of a disease.
The Ministry of Intercession
Andrew Murray
And what is now the disease of which the lack of prayer is the symptom?
The Ministry of Intercession
Andrew Murray

British Dictionary definitions for symptom

symptom

noun

med any sensation or change in bodily function experienced by a patient that is associated with a particular diseaseCompare sign (def. 9)
any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and regarded as evidence of its existence; indication

Derived Formssymptomless, adjective

Word Origin for symptom

C16: from Late Latin symptōma, from Greek sumptōma chance, from sumpiptein to occur, from syn- + piptein to fall

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for symptom

1540s, earlier sinthoma (late 14c.), from Medieval Latin sinthoma "symptom of a disease," from Late Latin symptoma, from Greek symptoma (genitive symptomatos) "a happening, accident, disease," from stem of sympiptein "to befall," from syn- "together" (see syn-) + piptein "to fall," from PIE *pi-pt-, reduplicated form of root *pet- "to rush; to fly" (see petition (n.)). Spelling altered in English by influence of Middle French and Late Latin forms. Symptomatic in general sense of "indicative (of)" is from 1751.

symptom in Medicine

symptom

[sĭm′təm, sĭmp′-]

A subjective indication of a disorder or disease, such as pain, nausea, or weakness.

symptom in Science

symptom

[sĭm′təm]

A subjective indication of a disorder or disease, such as pain, nausea or weakness. Symptoms may be accompanied by objective signs of disease such as abnormal laboratory test results or findings during a physical examination. Compare sign.