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View synonyms for symbol

symbol

[ sim-buhl ]

noun

  1. something used for or regarded as representing something else; a material object representing something, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign.
  2. 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.

  3. (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)

, sym·boled, sym·bol·ing or (especially British) sym·bolled, sym·bol·ling.
  1. to use symbols; symbolize.

symbol

/ ˈsɪmbəl /

noun

  1. something that represents or stands for something else, usually by convention or association, esp a material object used to represent something abstract
  2. 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
  3. a letter, figure, or sign used in mathematics, science, music, etc to represent a quantity, phenomenon, operation, function, etc
  4. 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

  5. psychol any mental process that represents some feature of external reality


verb

  1. tr another word for symbolize

symbol

/ sĭmbəl /

  1. A conventional, printed or written figure used to represent an operation, element, quantity, relation, unit of measurement, phenomenon, or descriptor.
  2. Also called sign


symbol

1
  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
  1. 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 .

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Word History and Origins

Origin of symbol1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin symbolum, from Greek sýmbolon “sign,” equivalent to sym- sym- ( def ) + -bolon, neuter for bolḗ (feminine) “a throw, stroke, glance, blow”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of symbol1

C15: from Church Latin symbolum, from Greek sumbolon sign, from sumballein to throw together, from syn- + ballein to throw

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Idioms and Phrases

see status symbol .

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Example Sentences

In the debates over how Britain should handle its departure from the EU, fishing morphed into a symbol of Britain’s potential independence.

From Quartz

QAnon, a dangerous once-fringe collection of conspiracy theories, was well-represented in January’s deadly Capitol riot and many photos from the day show the prevalence of QAnon symbols and sayings.

Some have turned masks into a symbol of government overreach.

In March, its northern city of Bergamo, then the site of the world’s deadliest Covid-19 outbreak, became a global symbol of the pandemic, as the number of dead forced army trucks to transport them to other cities for cremation.

From Quartz

Its journey from provincial beginnings to global fashion symbol traces Britain’s history as it became a financial powerhouse.

From Quartz

We see detoxing as a path to transcendence, a symbol of modern urban virtue and self-transformation through abstinence.

It is now possible the building can be a symbol for progress.

Conservative Muslim women in Turkey hailed Esme as a martyr and a symbol of female strength and resistance.

Sherlock Holmes is a new millennium sex symbol with books, movies, and TV episodes introducing him to a new generation of fans.

In Wicca, the female goddess is represented by the Moon, a symbol of Mother Earth and fertility.

Light, the symbol of life's joy, seems to be the first language in which the spirit of beauty speaks to a child.

This method of concealing the face, together with the wearing of the immense hat, was a symbol of mourning.

The mayorʼs symbol of office is a cane with a silver knob, plated ferrule, and black cord and tassels.

The olive, too, was sacred to Minerva, and as the symbol of peace was woven into the victors crown.

The symbol of the heaven-bound ship— —is mentioned by Clement of Alexandria as being in vogue in the second century.

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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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