syndrome

Term: syndrome

Literally meaning: “running together”

Origin: Anc Greek

Συνδρομή/syndrome(=concourse)

συν-/syn-(=prefix meaning  “along with”, “together”)

+δρόμος/dromos(= road, street, course) > δέδρομα/dedroma(=past perfect of verb “τρέχω”/trecho meaning run).

Coined/History 

In 1686 English physician Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689) developed the concept of a medical syndrome describing a syndrome of chorea in childhood as a complication of rheumatic fever.   

Definition

A recognizable pattern or association of symptoms (observed by the patient) or signs (observed by physician) indicating a particular disease.