Added 9 October 2026
symptom
/ˈsɪm(p)təm/ noun
In Latin: symptōma Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about symptom at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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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.
The doctor told that his coughing and sneezing was the symptom of standing for too long in the rain.
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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.
Origin
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”). See also syn-, -oma, -ome.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)