Remission
noun /rɪˈmɪʃ.ən/ — A period in which symptoms of a disease decrease or disappear.
Definition
In medicine, a temporary or permanent decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of a disease — especially cancer. Remission is not necessarily a cure; the disease may return. It is the body negotiating a temporary truce with what afflicts it.
Beyond the definition
Remission is hope with an asterisk — the symptoms have retreated, the numbers look good, but the word carries the knowledge that this may not be permanent. A grateful present tense that does not promise a future.
Origin & history
From Latin 'remissio' (a relaxing, a release); from 'remittere' (to send back, to release). A releasing from — the disease's grip loosening.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Two years into remission, she found herself planning things again — she had stopped doing that during treatment.
The oncologist explained remission carefully: the cancer wasn't gone, it was quiet. Different things.
Grief has its own remissions — the quiet mornings when it has loosened its grip enough to breathe.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Remission” when the meaning fits your context: In medicine, a temporary or permanent decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of a disease — especially cancer. Remission is not necessarily a cure; the disease may return. It is the body negotiating a temporary truce with what afflicts it.
Synonyms
abatement, decrease in symptoms, partial recovery, reprieve
Antonyms
relapse, progression, recurrence
Related words
Remission vs cure
Remission means a period where symptoms of a disease have decreased or disappeared, but the disease may still be present. A cure indicates the disease has been permanently removed or eradicated.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Recovery and Regrowth
An adult uses a mobility aid while observing a plant regrowing after being pruned.
Watching a plant regrow after being pruned symbolizes the body's negotiation of a truce with an ailment. It represents a temporary or permanent decrease in symptoms where the affliction is quieted, though not necessarily eradicated.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Remission" mean?
Remission is noun meaning: A period in which symptoms of a disease decrease or disappear.. In medicine, a temporary or permanent decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of a disease — especially cancer. Remission is not necessarily a cure; the disease may return. It is the body negotiating a temporary truce with what afflicts it.
Where does the word "Remission" come from?
From Latin 'remissio' (a relaxing, a release); from 'remittere' (to send back, to release). A releasing from — the disease's grip loosening.