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symbol [symbol 词源字典]: symbol: [15] Etymologically, a symbol is something ‘thrown together’. The word’s ultimate source is Greek sumbállein, a compound verb formed from the prefix sun- ‘together’ and bállein ‘throw’ (source of English ballistic, problem, etc). The notion of ‘throwing or putting things together’ led on to the notion of ‘contrast’, and so sumbállein came to be used for ‘compare’. From it was derived súmbolon, which denoted an ‘identifying token’ – because such tokens were ‘compared’ with a counterpart to make sure they were genuine – and hence an ‘outward sign’ of something.
=> ballistic, parable, parole, problem[symbol etymology, symbol origin, 英语词源]
sympathy: sympathy: [16] Sympathy is etymologically ‘feeling with’ someone else. The word comes via Latin sympathīa from Greek sumpátheia, a derivative of sumpathés ‘feeling with or similarly to someone else’. This was a compound adjective formed from the prefix sun- ‘together, with, like’ and páthos ‘feeling’ (source of English pathetic [16], pathology [17], pathos [17], etc).
=> pathetic, pathology, pathos
symphony: symphony: [13] Symphony originally meant ‘harmony’; it was not used for a ‘large-scale piece of orchestral music in several movements’ until the late 18th century. The word came via Old French symphonie and Latin symphōnia from Greek sumphōníā, a derivative of súmphōnos ‘harmonious’. This was a compound adjective formed from the prefix sun- ‘together’ and phōné ‘sound’ (source of English phone, phonetic, etc).
=> phone, phonetic
symposium: symposium: [18] A symposium is etymologically a ‘get-together for a drink’. The word comes via Latin symposium from Greek sumpósion, a derivative of sumpótēs ‘drinking companion’. This was a compound noun formed from the prefix sun- ‘together’ and the base *pot- ‘drink’ (source of English poison, potion, etc). The Greeks favoured lubricating intellectual discussion with drink, and so the term sumpósion came to be used for a meeting which combined elements of party and intellectual interchange.
=> poison, potable, potion
symptom: symptom: [16] A symptom is etymologically something that ‘happens’ – an occurrence or phenomenon. The word’s application to physiological phenomena as signs of disease is a secondary development. It comes via late Latin symptōma from Greek súmptōma ‘occurrence’, a derivative of sumpíptein ‘fall together’, hence ‘fall on, happen to’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix sun- ‘together’ and píptein ‘fall’.
asymmetrical (adj.): 1680s; see asymmetry + -ical. Other forms that have served as an adjective based on asymmetry are asymmetral (1620s), asymmetrous (1660s), and asymmetric (1875); only the last seems to have any currency. Related: Asymmetrically.
asymmetry (n.): 1650s, "want of symmetry or proportion," from Greek asymmetria, noun of quality from asymmetros "having no common measure; disproportionate, unsymmetrical," from a- "not" + symmetros "commensurable" (see symmetry).
asymptomatic (adj.): "without symptoms," 1856, from a-, privative prefix, + symptomatic.
asymptote (n.): "straight line continually approaching but never meeting a curve," 1650s, from Greek asymptotos "not falling together," from a- "not" + syn "with" + ptotos "fallen," verbal adjective from piptein "to fall" (see symptom). Related: Asymptotic.
asymptotic (adj.): 1670s, see asymptote + -ic. Related: Asymptotical; asymptotically.
parasympathetic (adj.): 1905, from para- (1) "beside" + sympathetic.
sym-: assimilated form of syn-, from Greek form of syn- in compounds with words beginning in -b-, -m-, -p-, -ph-, -ps-.
Symbionese (adj.): in Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), name adopted by a socialist revolutionary group active in U.S. 1972-76, coined from simbion "an organism living in symbiosis, from symbioun (see symbiosis) + people-name ending -ese.
symbiosis (n.): 1876, as a biological term, "union for life of two different organisms based on mutually benefit," from Greek symbiosis "a living together," from symbioun "live together," from symbios "(one) living together (with another), partner, companion, husband or wife," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + bios "life" (see bio-). Given a wider (non-biological) sense by 1921. An earlier sense of "communal or social life" is found in 1620s. A back-formed verb symbiose is recorded from 1960.
symbiotic (adj.): 1882, in biology, from stem of symbiosis + -ic. Of human activities from 1951. Related: Symbiotical; symbiotically.
symbol (n.): early 15c., "creed, summary, religious belief," from Late Latin symbolum "creed, token, mark," from Greek symbolon "token, watchword, sign by which one infers; ticket, a permit, license" (the word was applied c.250 by Cyprian of Carthage to the Apostles' Creed, on the notion of the "mark" that distinguishes Christians from pagans), literally "that which is thrown or cast together," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + bole "a throwing, a casting, the stroke of a missile, bolt, beam," from bol-, nominative stem of ballein "to throw" (see ballistics).

The sense evolution in Greek is from "throwing things together" to "contrasting" to "comparing" to "token used in comparisons to determine if something is genuine." Hence, "outward sign" of something. The meaning "something which stands for something else" first recorded 1590 (in "Faerie Queene"). As a written character, 1610s.
symbolic (adj.): 1650s, from symbol + -ic, or from Greek symbolikos. Related: Symbolical (c. 1600); symbolically.
symbolise (v.): chiefly British English spelling of symbolize. For suffix, see -ize. Related: Symbolised; symbolising; symbolisation.
symbolism (n.): 1650s, "practice of representing things with symbols," from symbol + -ism. Applied to the arts by 1866; attested from 1892 as a movement in French literature, from French symbolisme (see symbolist).
symbolist (n.): 1580s, from symbol + -ist. From 1888 in reference to a literary movement that aimed at representing ideas and emotions by indirect suggestion rather than direct expression, from French symboliste, coined 1885 by poet Paul Verlaine (1844-1896). Rejecting realism and naturalism, they attached symbolic meaning to certain objects, words, etc.
symbolization (n.): c. 1600, from French symbolisation, from symboliser (see symbolize).
symbolize (v.): c. 1600, "represent by a symbol," also "be a symbol of," from French symboliser, from symbole (see symbol). Related: Symbolized; symbolizes; symbolizing.
symbology (n.): 1840, contracted from symbolology, from comb. form of Greek symbolon "token" (see symbol) + -ology.
symbololatry (n.): "worship of symbols," 1828, from symbolo-, comb. form of symbol, + -latry.
symmetric (adj.): 1796, from symmetry + -ic. Earlier in the same sense was symmetral (1650s).
symmetrical (adj.): 1751, from symmetry + -ical. Related: Symmetrically (1570s).
symmetrize (v.): 1749, from French symmétriser, from symmétrie (see symmetry). Related: Symmetrize; symmetrizing.
symmetrophobia (n.): 1809, from comb. form of symmetry + -phobia. Supposed to be evident in Egyptian temples and Japanese art.
symmetry (n.): 1560s, "relation of parts, proportion," from Middle French symmétrie (16c.) and directly from Latin symmetria, from Greek symmetria "agreement in dimensions, due proportion, arrangement," from symmetros "having a common measure, even, proportionate," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + metron "meter" (see meter (n.2)). Meaning "harmonic arrangement of parts" first recorded 1590s.
sympathetic (adj.): 1640s, "pertaining to sympathy," from Modern Latin sympatheticus, from late Greek sympathetikos "having sympathy," from sympathein, from sympathes "having a fellow feeling, affected by like feelings" (see sympathy). In English, the meaning "having fellow feeling, susceptible to altruistic feelings" is recorded from 1718.

In the anatomical sense, "subject to a common nervous influence," the word is attested from 1769, from Modern Latin (nervus) sympathicus, coined by Jacques-Benigne Winslow (1669-1760), Danish anatomist living in Paris. Related: Sympathetical (1630s); Sympathetically (1620s).
sympathise (v.): chiefly British English spelling of sympathize (q.v.); for suffix, see -ize. Related: Sympathised; sympathising.
sympathize (v.): "have fellow-feeling," c. 1600, from Middle French sympathiser, from sympathie (see sympathy). Earlier in a physiological sense (1590s). As "express sympathy," from 1748. Related: Sympathized; sympathizing.
sympathizer (n.): 1815, agent noun from sympathize.
sympathy (n.): 1570s, "affinity between certain things," from Middle French sympathie (16c.) and directly from Late Latin sympathia "community of feeling, sympathy," from Greek sympatheia "fellow-feeling, community of feeling," from sympathes "having a fellow feeling, affected by like feelings," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + pathos "feeling" (see pathos).

In English, almost a magical notion at first; used in reference to medicines that heal wounds when applied to a cloth stained with blood from the wound. Meaning "conformity of feelings" is from 1590s; sense of "fellow feeling, compassion" is first attested c. 1600. An Old English loan-translation of sympathy was efensargung.
sympatric (adj.): 1904, from assimilated form of syn- + Greek patra "fatherland," from pater "father" (see father (n.)) + -ic. Opposite of allopatric.
symphonic (adj.): 1854 "involving similarity of sounds or harmony" (implied in symphonically); see symphony + -ic. Meaning "pertaining to a symphony" is from 1864. Earlier was symphonious (1650s).
symphony (n.): c. 1300, a name given to various types of musical instruments, from Old French simphonie, sifonie, simfone "musical harmony; stringed instrument" (12c., Modern French symphonie) and directly from Latin symphonia "a unison of sounds, harmony," from Greek symphonia "harmony, concord of sounds," from symphonos "harmonious, agreeing in sound," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + phone "voice, sound," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say" (see fame (n.)).

Meaning "harmony of sounds" in English is attested from late 14c.; sense of "music in parts" is from 1590s. "It was only after the advent of Haydn that this word began to mean a sonata for full orchestra. Before that time it meant a prelude, postlude, or interlude, or any short instrumental work." ["Elson's Music Dictionary"] Meaning "elaborate orchestral composition" first attested 1789. Elliptical for "symphony orchestra" from 1926. Diminutive symphonette is recorded from 1947.
symphysis (n.): union of bones, 1570s, medical Latin, from Greek symphysis "a growing together, union," from assimilated form of assimilated form of syn "together" (see syn-) + physis "growth" (see physics). Related: Symphytic.
symposium (n.): 1580s, "account of a gathering or party," from Latin symposium "drinking party, symposium," from Greek symposion "drinking party, convivial gathering of the educated" (related to sympotes "drinking companion"), from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + posis "a drinking," from a stem of Aeolic ponen "to drink," cognate with Latin potare "to drink" (see potion).
The symposium usually followed a dinner, for the Greeks did not drink at meals. Its enjoyment was heightened by intellectual or agreeable conversation, by the introduction of music or dancers, and by other amusements. [Century Dictionary]
The sense of "a meeting on some subject" is from 1784. Reflecting the Greek fondness for mixing wine and intellectual discussion, the modern sense is especially from the word being used as a title for one of Plato's dialogues. Greek plural is symposia, and the leader of one is a symposiarch (c. 1600 in English). Related: Symposiac (adj.); symposial.
symptom (n.): 1540s, re-Latinized from sinthoma (late 14c.), from Medieval Latin sinthoma "symptom of a disease," altered from Late Latin symptoma, from Greek symptoma "a happening, accident, disease," from stem of sympiptein "to befall, happen; coincide, fall together," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + piptein "to fall," from PIE *pi-pt-, reduplicated form of root *pet- "to rush; to fly" (see petition (n.)).

Spelling restored in early Modern English in part by influence of Middle French symptome (16c.). General (non-medical) use is from 1610s.
symptomatic (adj.): 1690s, from French symptomatique or directly from Late Latin symptomaticus, from symptomat-, stem of symptoma (see symptom). General sense of "indicative (of)" is from 1751. Related: Symptomatical (1580s).
symptomatology (n.): study of symptoms, 1737, from medical Latin symptomatologia, from symptomat-, stem of symptoma (see symptom) + -logia (see -logy). Related: Symptomatological.
symptomology (n.): 1830, shortening of symptomatology.
unsympathetic (adj.): 1785, from un- (1) "not" + sympathetic (adj.).