symptoms

Noun

symptom (plural symptoms)

1. A perceived change in some function, sensation or appearance of a person that indicates a disease or disorder, such as fever, headache or rash; strictly, a symptom is felt or experienced by the patient, while a sign can be detected by an observer.
   • The doctor told that his coughing and sneezing was the symptom of standing for too long in the rain.
2. (figuratively) A signal; anything that indicates, or is characteristic of, the presence of something else, especially of something undesirable.
   • Lying, hiding one's true feelings, and having affairs are typical symptoms of a doomed marriage.