symptom

UK: /ˈsɪmptəm/ US: /ˈsɪmptəm/ ,(simp′təm)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

symp•tom /ˈsɪmptəm/   n. [countable]

1. Pathology a physical condition that arises from and accompanies a particular disorder and serves as an indication of it:
   The symptoms of this flu are aching joints, high fever, and stomach pains.
2. any action, condition, or circumstance that arises from or accompanies something else and serves as evidence of it:
   the symptoms of economic inflation.

symp•to•mat•ic,/ˌsɪmptəˈmætɪk/  ; adj. See sym-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

symp•tom  (simp′təm), n. 

1. any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and serving as evidence of it.
2. a sign or indication of something.
3. Pathology a phenomenon that arises from and accompanies a particular disease or disorder and serves as an indication of it.

• Greek sýmptōma occurrence, that which falls together with something, equivalent. to sym- sym- + ptō- (variant stem of píptein to fall) + -ma noun, nominal suffix of result
• Late Latin symptōma
• Middle English 1350–1400

Synonyms

• 2. signal, token, mark.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

symptom / ˈsɪmptəm/ noun

1. any sensation or change in bodily function experienced by a patient that is associated with a particular disease
   Compare sign9
2. any phenomenon or circumstance accompanying something and regarded as evidence of its existence; indication

Etymology: 16th Century: from Late Latin symptōma, from Greek sumptōma chance, from sumpiptein to occur, from syn- + piptein to fall