symptom

[simp-tuhm]

noun

1. any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and serving as evidence of it.

2. a sign or indication of something.

   Synonyms: mark, token, signal

3. Pathology.,  a phenomenon that arises from and accompanies a particular disease or disorder and serves as an indication of it.

symptom

/ ˈsɪmptəm /

noun

1. med any sensation or change in bodily function experienced by a patient that is associated with a particular disease Compare sign

2. any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and regarded as evidence of its existence; indication

symptom

1. 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.

2. Compare sign

Other Word Forms

• presymptom noun
• symptomless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of symptom¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of symptom¹

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

Example Sentences

After developing symptoms of a chest infection on the first day, she was given antibiotics at a medical centre.

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It usually takes a few days from being infected for symptoms to show.

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Dr. Ahmadi adds that relying heavily on risk assessments and symptom reports may not be the best strategy for prevention.

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Observing these markers in young adults is significant and suggests that obesity may create measurable effects in the brain well before symptoms appear.

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Some patients in the trial saw their symptoms vanish.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• manifestation 
• syndrome