symptomatic

What it means

1. medicineShowing symptoms.

   It is important to observe symptomatic cats out of the carrier, on the floor in a safe, escape-proof room. Swelling, heat, and pain in one or more joints can explain many signs, including lameness, malaise, and fever.

   2009, Stephen J. Ettinger, Edward C. Feldman, Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, page 9

   Antonyms: asymptomatic, nonsymptomatic

2. broadlyConstituting a symptom or indication; characteristic, indicative.

   The city's problems are symptomatic of the crisis that is spreading throughout the country.

   2 more examples

   Symptomatic of a shallow understanding and an unamiable temper.

   1843, Thomas Macaulay, Sir James Mackintosh's History of the Revolution

   And it is symptomatic of the many paradoxes of Lederer's life that of all the people in the room, Brotherhood is the one whom he would most wish to serve, if ever he had the opportunity, even though — or perhaps because — his occasional efforts to ingratiate himself with his adopted hero have met with iron rebuff.

   1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy

3. medicineOf a treatment, that only affects the symptoms of a disease without targeting the underlying cause.

   Antonyms: nonsymptomatic

In a sentence

It is important to observe symptomatic cats out of the carrier, on the floor in a safe, escape-proof room. Swelling, heat, and pain in one or more joints can explain many signs, including lameness, malaise, and fever.

2009, Stephen J. Ettinger, Edward C. Feldman, Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, page 9

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekσυμπτωματικός“of or pertaining to a chance (or a symptom), casual”
2. New Latinsymptomaticus
3. Frenchsymptomatique
4. Englishsymptomatic

Borrowed from French symptomatique, from New Latin symptomaticus, from Ancient Greek συμπτωματικός (sumptōmatikós, “of or pertaining to a chance (or a symptom), casual”), from σύμπτωμα (súmptōma, “a symptom”). By surface analysis, symptom + -atic.