syndrome
noun
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Combining its two Greek roots, syndrome means basically "running together". So when diagnosing a condition or disease, doctors tend to look for a group of symptoms existing together. As long as a set of symptoms remains mysterious, it may be referred to as a specific syndrome. But if that name is used for a while, it may become the condition's permanent name, even after an underlying cause has been found. So today we have Down syndrome, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, Asperger's syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, Tourette's syndrome, sick building syndrome, and many more. And since mental conditions often turn out to have physical causes, syndrome is used in psychology as well as in medicine.
Examples of syndrome in a Sentence
Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 14 Aug. 2024
Scientists are not sure what causes long COVID but have identified risk factors including having underlying conditions or experiencing multi-system inflammatory syndrome due to COVID.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2024
This syndrome occurs when small tumors in your pituitary gland, an area in your brain that helps make cortisol, increase the amount of cortisol your body produces.
—Heidi Cope, Health, 3 Aug. 2024
Raynaud’s syndrome can be triggered by cold temperatures, stress and habitual activities that involve using your hands, such as playing an instrument or typing on a computer, Wright says.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for syndrome 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'syndrome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Syndrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syndrome. Accessed 12 Sep. 2024.
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syndrome
noun
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