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symbol
[ sim-buhl ]
noun
- something used for or regarded as representing something else; a material object representing something, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign.
- a letter, figure, or other character or mark or a combination of letters or the like used to designate something:
the algebraic symbol x; the chemical symbol Au.
- (especially in semiotics) a word, phrase, image, or the like having a complex of associated meanings and perceived as having inherent value separable from that which is symbolized, as being part of that which is symbolized, and as performing its normal function of standing for or representing that which is symbolized: usually conceived as deriving its meaning chiefly from the structure in which it appears, and generally distinguished from a sign.
verb (used with object)
- to use symbols; symbolize.
symbol
/ ˈsɪmbəl /
noun
- something that represents or stands for something else, usually by convention or association, esp a material object used to represent something abstract
- an object, person, idea, etc, used in a literary work, film, etc, to stand for or suggest something else with which it is associated either explicitly or in some more subtle way
- a letter, figure, or sign used in mathematics, science, music, etc to represent a quantity, phenomenon, operation, function, etc
- psychoanal the end product, in the form of an object or act, of a conflict in the unconscious between repression processes and the actions and thoughts being repressed
the symbols of dreams
- psychol any mental process that represents some feature of external reality
verb
- tr another word for symbolize
symbol
/ sĭm′bəl /
- A conventional, printed or written figure used to represent an operation, element, quantity, relation, unit of measurement, phenomenon, or descriptor.
- Also called sign
symbol
1- Something that represents or suggests something else. Symbols often take the form of words, visual images, or gestures that are used to convey ideas and beliefs. All human cultures use symbols to express the underlying structure of their social systems, to represent ideal cultural characteristics, such as beauty, and to ensure that the culture is passed on to new generations. Symbolic relationships are learned rather than biologically or naturally determined, and each culture has its own symbols.
symbol
2- An object or name that stands for something else, especially a material thing that stands for something that is not material. The bald eagle is a symbol of the United States of America. The cross is a symbol of Christianity . The Star of David is a symbol of Judaism .
Word History and Origins
Origin of symbol1
Word History and Origins
Origin of symbol1
Idioms and Phrases
see status symbol .Example Sentences
Private firefighting units have been a controversial topic in recent years, becoming a symbol of access for the wealthy and drawing criticism for heightening class divides during disasters.
A symbol of this is Bradford Live - the former concert hall and cinema that has been redeveloper into a £50m music venue.
The 1.5C figure has become a powerful symbol in international climate negotiations ever since it was agreed in Paris in 2015, with many of the most vulnerable countries considering it a matter of survival.
His decision in 1977 to return the Panama Canal — long regarded regionally as a symbol of U.S. imperialism — to the government of Panama was widely praised in Latin America.
In “The Last Showgirl,” Anderson’s first solo lead in a movie since 1996’s “Barb Wire,” she plays Shelly, a veteran Las Vegas dancer accustomed to being a sex symbol.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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