WordGarden.iosymptom
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /sˈɪmptəm/
US
- /ˈsɪmptəm/
Meanings
Noun
a physical or mental sign that someone has an illness or condition
a sign that a larger problem exists
Beyond the definition
Imagine your car starts making a strange noise. That is a sign that something might be wrong under the hood. A symptom is like that: it is not the illness itself, but a sign that something is happening in your body or in another system. It is like a warning light. You can have symptoms of a cold, such as a runny nose, a cough, or a fever, and those signs tell you something is wrong. Symptoms are not always physical; a lasting feeling of sadness could be a symptom of depression. Doctors look for patterns of symptoms to understand what is going on.
A symptom is a physical or mental sign that shows there may be an illness, a condition, or some other kind of problem. It is not the disease itself. Instead, it is something that points to a deeper cause. A fever can be a symptom of an infection. Rust on metal can be a symptom of corrosion.
The word comes from the Greek symptoma, which suggests something that happens along with something else. That idea still fits today: a symptom usually appears together with an underlying problem rather than being the cause itself.
We most often use "symptom" in medical situations. A patient might report fatigue and dizziness as symptoms. But the word is also used more widely. A drop in sales could be a symptom of poor marketing, and increased crime might be a symptom of deeper social problems.
It is important to remember that having a symptom does not automatically mean you have a serious problem. Many different things can cause similar symptoms, so it is often important to get professional advice when needed. One symptom alone may not tell the whole story; doctors often look at a group of symptoms to make an accurate diagnosis.
So whether it is a sniffle, a strange noise, or a troubling trend, a symptom is a signal: a clue that something needs attention and further study.
Examples
- 1
Early illness
A sore throat is often the first symptom of a cold.
- 2
Flu
She went home when she started to show symptoms of the flu.
- Patternshow symptoms of + illness/problem
start to have clear signs of it
- 3
Ignoring symptoms
At first, he ignored the symptoms and hoped they would go away.
- 4
Treatment
The treatment helped with the symptoms, but it did not fix the cause.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Figurative cause
Constant delays are a symptom of poor planning, not just bad luck.
- 6
Workplace stress
Many people see burnout as a symptom of a workplace that expects too much.
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- symptomnoun
Forms
- symptomspluralnoun