A sick note is an official note signed by a doctor which states that someone is ill and needs to stay off work for a particular period of time.
sick note in British English
noun
British informal
a document given to an employer certifying that an employee's absence from work of more than four days was due to illness. If the absence is for more than seven days the note must be signed by a doctor
See also self-certification
Examples of 'sick note' in a sentence
sick note
So who writes sick notes for doctors?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Provided you have a sick note from your doctor, your migraine should not affect your employment position.
The Sun (2012)
I have a sick note from her doctor that covers a three-week period.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
sick note
British English: sick note /sɪk nəʊt/ NOUN
A sick note is an official note signed by a doctor which states that someone is ill and needs to stay off work for a particular period of time.