symptomatique

Forms

symptomatique (plural symptomatiques)^[1] Middle French simphomatique (1478) and sinthomatique (1503),^[2][3][4] the present spelling from 1538.^[2][4]

Etymology

It is a learned derivative, formed from French symptôme + -ique.^[4][3] The TLFi derives it directly from Latin symptōma (“symptom”) with the suffix,^[5] and the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert from Late Latin symptōmaticus,^[2][6][7] from Ancient Greek συμπτωματικός (sumptōmatikós), from σύμπτωμα (súmptōma, “chance, occurrence, symptom”).^[8][1] The Greek noun is formed from σύν (sún, “with”) and πίπτω (píptō, “to fall”).^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as simphomatique in 1478, in a translation of Guy de Chauliac's surgery, for an illness that is the sign of another.^[3][4] The TLFi has sinthomatique in Le Guidon en françois (1520), and the present spelling from Ambroise Paré (1575):^[5] si elle est symptomatique, elle ne pourra estre guerie tandis que la maladie persistera (“if [the fever] is symptomatic, it cannot be cured while the disease lasts”).^[8]

Semantic evolution

The first sense was “that is a symptom of a disease”; the sense “that concerns the symptoms” is recorded later, in Furetière's dictionary of 1690.^[4][3] From it came médecine symptomatique (1836, Académie) and traitement symptomatique (1933, Larousse), a treatment that fights the symptoms without attacking the cause.^[3][4]

Figuratively, from before 1841 (Chateaubriand), it took the general sense “revealing, indicative”.^[4][3] The adverb symptomatiquement dates from 1875.^[4] English symptomatic (1690s) comes from the French word or directly from Late Latin.^[7]

Timeline

• 1478 – Simphomatique appears in a translation of Guy de Chauliac.^[3][2]
• 1503 – Sinthomatique, again in Chauliac.^[3]
• 1520 – Sinthomatique in Le Guidon en françois.^[5]
• 1538 – Jean Canappe uses the spelling symptomatique.^[3][4]
• 1575 – Ambroise Paré writes of a symptomatic fever.^[5][8]
• 1690 – Furetière records the sense “concerning symptoms”.^[3][4]
• Before 1841 – Chateaubriand uses it in the sense “revealing”.^[3][4]
• 1875 – The adverb symptomatiquement is recorded.^[4]
• 1933 – Larousse records traitement symptomatique.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (medicine) That is a symptom of a disease, or is caused by another disease: une fièvre symptomatique.^[6][9][10]
2. (medicine) Concerning the symptoms, or aimed at relieving them: traitement symptomatique.^[6][10][3]
3. That reveals or foreshadows a hidden state or process, telling: un silence symptomatique.^[6][10][5]

Word family

• symptomatiquement

Related words

• symptôme
• symptomatologie
• English symptomatic

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)