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Symptom

 - 5 dictionary results

symp⋅tom

[simp-tuhm]
–noun
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.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME < LL symptōma < Gk sýmptōma occurrence, that which falls together with something, equiv. to sym- sym- + ptō- (var. s. of píptein to fall) + -ma n. suffix of result


2. signal, token, mark.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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symp·tom   (sĭm'təm, sĭmp'-)   
n.  
  1. A characteristic sign or indication of the existence of something else: "The affair is a symptom of a global marital disturbance; it is not the disturbance itself" (Maggie Scarf). See Synonyms at sign.

  2. A sign or an indication of disorder or disease, especially when experienced by an individual as a change from normal function, sensation, or appearance.


[Middle English sinthoma, symptom of a disease, from Medieval Latin sinthōma, from Late Latin symptōma, from Greek sumptōma, sumptōmat-, a happening, symptom of a disease, from sumpiptein, sumptō-, to coincide : sun-, syn- + piptein, to fall; see pet- in Indo-European roots.]
symp'tom·less adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

symptom 
1541, earlier sinthoma (1398), from M.L. sinthoma "symptom of a disease," from L.L. symptoma, from Gk. symptoma (gen. symptomatos) "a happening, accident, disease," from stem of sympiptein "to befall," from syn- "together" + piptein "to fall," from PIE base *pet- "to rush, to fly" (see petition). Spelling altered in Eng. by influence of M.Fr. and L.L. forms. Symptomatic in general sense of "indicative (of)" is from 1751.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: symp·tom
Pronunciation: 'sim(p)-t&m
Function: noun
: subjective evidence of disease or physical disturbance observed by the patientsymptom of many diseases> symptom of retinal arteriosclerosis>; broadly : something that indicates the presence ofa physical disorder —compare SIGN 2
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

symptom symp·tom (sĭm'təm, sĭmp'-)
n.
An indication of disorder or disease, especially when experienced by an individual as a change from normal function, sensation, or appearance. Also called sign.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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