Symptom
noun /ˈsɪmp.təm/ — A sign indicating the presence of a condition or problem
Definition
A physical or mental feature indicating the existence of a condition or disease — the visible or felt evidence of something happening beneath the surface. Also used broadly: symptoms of a failing system, symptoms of grief, symptoms of love.
Beyond the definition
Symptom is the word for the body's testimony — the way the interior makes itself known on the surface. Symptoms are language: they say something is wrong before you know what or why.
Origin & history
Greek: symptōma (happening, attribute, casualty), from sym- (together) + piptein (to fall). A symptom is what happens alongside the disease — what falls out of the condition into visibility.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Fatigue was the first symptom. She almost missed it.
The financial symptoms showed up before anyone could name the underlying condition.
Sometimes the symptom is more important to treat than the disease, because it's what the person is living in.
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 “Symptom” when the meaning fits your context: A physical or mental feature indicating the existence of a condition or disease — the visible or felt evidence of something happening beneath the surface. Also used broadly: symptoms of a failing system, symptoms of grief, symptoms of love.
Synonyms
sign, indicator, manifestation, evidence
Antonyms
cause, underlying condition
Related words
Symptom vs sign
A symptom is a subjective feeling reported by the patient (e.g., pain). A sign is an objective finding observed by a doctor (e.g., a rash).
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
Visible Evidence of Inner Loss
An adult sits in a dark room looking at a single, empty chair.
The person’s somber posture and the empty chair are visible indicators of profound loss. Like a symptom, these external features provide evidence of an internal state—grief—happening beneath the surface that cannot be fully expressed in words.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Symptom" mean?
Symptom is noun meaning: A sign indicating the presence of a condition or problem. A physical or mental feature indicating the existence of a condition or disease — the visible or felt evidence of something happening beneath the surface. Also used broadly: symptoms of a failing system, symptoms of grief, symptoms of love.
Where does the word "Symptom" come from?
Greek: symptōma (happening, attribute, casualty), from sym- (together) + piptein (to fall). A symptom is what happens alongside the disease — what falls out of the condition into visibility.