symptom
Americannoun
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med any sensation or change in bodily function experienced by a patient that is associated with a particular disease Compare sign
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any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and regarded as evidence of its existence; indication
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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.
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Compare sign
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing symptom
Workshop 1, Part 2
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The Crossover
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Workshop 5, Part 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This “Major Symptom Alert” was vague but crushing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
“I have often said that ChatGPT is similar to the WebMD Symptom Checker,” family physician Dr. Alexa Mieses Malchuk told Salon.
From Salon • Jan. 20, 2026
A clinical evaluation tool for concussions called the Post-Concussive Symptom Inventory was correlated with pre- and post-season physical, cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2024
They graded them on the Post-Concussion Symptom Inventory, an assessment that measures symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness and other issues reported following head injuries.
From Washington Post • Feb. 4, 2023
To suppress this Turbulence of Mind, which was a Symptom of approaching Avarice, she said her Prayers earlier than usual, and at Night had the following Dream; which I shall relate in her own Words.
From Goody Two-Shoes A Facsimile Reproduction of the Edition of 1766 by Anonymous
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
