symptomatic

American  

[simp-tuh-mat-ik] / ˌsɪmp təˈmæt ɪk /

Sometimes symptomatical

adjective

1. pertaining to a symptom or symptoms.

2. of the nature of or constituting a symptom indicative (often followed byof ).

   a condition symptomatic of cholera;

   a disagreement that was symptomatic of the deterioration in their relationship.

3. according to symptoms.

   a symptomatic classification of disease.

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symptomatic British  

/ ˌsɪmptəˈmætɪk /

adjective

1. (often foll by of) being a symptom; indicative

   symptomatic of insanity

2. of or relating to a symptom or symptoms

3. according to symptoms

   a symptomatic analysis of a case

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Other Word Forms

• nonsymptomatic adjective
• presymptomatic adjective
• pseudosymptomatic adjective
• symptomatically adverb
• unsymptomatic adjective
• unsymptomatical adjective
• unsymptomatically adverb

Etymology

Origin of symptomatic

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Medieval Latin symptōmaticus, equivalent to Late Latin symptōmat- (stem of symptōma ) + -icus; symptom, -ic

Example Sentences

The question is whether that caution is traveling far enough upstream, before patients are symptomatic.

From Slate • Mar. 22, 2026

Rosenior approached the remaining fans to apologise and thank them for their support but some see his appointment as symptomatic of wider problems in the hierarchy.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

But he is symptomatic of the America in which we live.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

Jean‑Paul Domin, an economist at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, said the trend, emerging over the past three or four years, was symptomatic of a system in crisis.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

The purists who call out these errors see them as symptomatic of a decline in the quality of communication and reasoning in our culture today.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• emblematic
• symbolic