symptom
//ˈsɪm(p)təm//
Forms
- Plural
- symptoms
Definitions
1.A signal; anything that indicates, or is characteristic of, the presence of something else, especially of something undesirable.
- Lying, hiding one's true feelings, and having affairs are typical symptoms of a doomed marriage.
- Some people see birth outside of marriage as a social problem, a sign of a breakdown in the traditional family and a symptom of moral decay.
2.A perceived change in some function, sensation or appearance of a person that indicates a disease or disorder, such as fever, headache or rash; strictly, a symptom is felt or experienced by the patient, while a sign can be detected by an observer.
- Swollen breasts, morning sickness, and a missed period are classic symptoms of pregnancy.
- The doctor told that his coughing and sneezing was the symptom of standing for too long in the rain.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2335
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English sinthoma, from Medieval Latin sinthoma, altered by Late Latin symptoma, from Ancient Greek σύμπτωμα (súmptōma, “a happening, accident, symptom of disease”), from stem of συμπίπτω (sumpíptō, “Ι befall”), from συν- (sun-, “together”) + πίπτω (píptō, “to fall”).