# symptom vs symptoms

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### symptom
*noun · IPA /ˈsɪm(p)təm/ · frequency rank #12,340*
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.

### symptoms
*noun · IPA /ˈsɪmptəmz/ · frequency rank #3,142*
plural of symptom

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/symptom-vs-symptoms