symptomatic

[ simp-tuh-mat-ik ]

adjective

1. pertaining to a symptom or symptoms.
2. of the nature of or constituting a symptom indicative (often followed by of ):

   a condition symptomatic of cholera;

   a disagreement that was symptomatic of the deterioration in their relationship.

3. according to symptoms:

   a symptomatic classification of disease.

symptomatic

/ ˌsɪmptəˈmætɪk /

adjective

1. often foll by of being a symptom; indicative

   symptomatic of insanity

2. of or relating to a symptom or symptoms
3. according to symptoms

   a symptomatic analysis of a case

Derived Forms

• ˌsymptoˈmatically, adverb

Other Words From

• sympto·mati·cal·ly adverb
• nonsymp·to·matic adjective
• presymp·to·matic adjective
• pseudo·sympto·matic adjective
• unsymp·to·matic adjective
• unsymp·to·mati·cal adjective
• unsymp·to·mati·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of symptomatic¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Medieval Latin symptōmaticus, equivalent to Late Latin symptōmat- (stem of symptōma ) + -icus; symptom, -ic

Example Sentences

That includes four dolphins in San Diego Bay who were symptomatic with a gastrointestinal illness this past July.

From Fortune

Maryland recommends that people who suspect they’ve been exposed to the virus get a test, whether they are symptomatic or not.

From ProPublica

Often, results take days or even weeks to get back, which isn’t a useful timeframe when people are already infectious before they’re symptomatic.

From Popular-Science

We are already trying to do sensitive testing of anyone with any respiratory disease and in any symptomatic patients that belong to a cluster, or who live in certain risky surroundings like nursing homes.

From MIT Technology Review

A blood test that can detect pre-symptomatic Alzheimer’s could be approved in just a few short years.

From Quartz

But the most important thing to note, says Monroe, is that only those who are symptomatic are contagious.

From The Daily Beast

Ebola Reston, it seemed, could infect humans, but never became symptomatic.

From The Daily Beast

That is why, like Lynndie England, Bradley Manning is symptomatic of a larger problem.

From The Daily Beast

The CIA, he says, could “render” (i.e., kidnap) him at any time, which is highly unlikely but not symptomatic of the paranoid.

From The Daily Beast

His outrageous comments, though, are more symptomatic of the outrageous person Barry is.

From The Daily Beast

It occurs in well-marked cases of pernicious anemia and leukemia, and, much less commonly, in very severe symptomatic anemias.

From Project Gutenberg

Pathologically, normoblasts occur in severe symptomatic anemia, leukemia, and pernicious anemia.

From Project Gutenberg

A few polychromatophilic corpuscles can be found in marked symptomatic anemias.

From Project Gutenberg

The changes in hemoglobin and red cells resemble those of a moderate symptomatic anemia, with rather low color-index.

From Project Gutenberg

What cases of chloasma are included in the symptomatic group?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• emblematic
• symbolic