symptom

American  

[simp-tuhm] / ˈsɪmp təm /

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.

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symptom British  

/ 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

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symptom Scientific  

/ sĭm′təm /

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

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Other Word Forms

• presymptom
  noun
• symptomless
  adjective

Etymology

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

Explanation

A symptom is the result or byproduct of something else—specifically, the result we use to prove that that other thing exists. Simple example: a cough is a symptom of a cold. We know we have a cold because we have the symptom, a cough. Don't confuse the symptom with the cause. Even when the symptom is worse than the cause, don't be tempted to confuse them. Fever, sneezing, achiness: all of these are symptom of a cold. But they are not the cold. They are symptoms of it. Relationship experts argue over whether "cheating” is the cause of unhappiness or the symptom. In other words, do people think about breaking up because of cheating, or do they cheat because they're thinking about breaking up.

Example Sentences

Her first symptom was choking “badly” on some water in December 2024, then she had migraines and problems swallowing pills.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

We didn’t need to test the effectiveness of symptom relief.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

Instead, patients receive supportive care such as rest, hydration and symptom management.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

A generation of well-funded thinkers treated them as a symptom, and may have surrendered one of the last legal tools we had to contest it.

From Slate • May 1, 2026

At some point, my pen just stopped moving, and I found my field of vision shrinking and shrinking, and then I was trying to remember if tunnel vision was a symptom of fatigue.

From "Paper Towns" by John Green

Related Words

• manifestation
• syndrome