From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A red octagon symbolizes «stop» even without the word.
Wearing variously colored ribbons is a symbolic action that shows support for certain campaigns.
A symbol is a mark, sign, or a word that indicates, signifies, or it is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different concepts and experiences. All communication (and data processing) is achieved through the use of symbols. Symbols take the form of words, sounds, gestures, ideas, or visual images and are used to convey other ideas and beliefs. For example, a red octagon is a common symbol for «STOP»; on maps, blue lines often represent rivers; and a red rose often symbolizes love and compassion. Numerals are symbols for numbers; letters of an alphabet may be symbols for certain phonemes; and personal names are symbols representing individuals. The variable ‘x’, in a mathematical equation, may symbolize the position of a particle in space.[citation needed]
The academic study of symbols is semiotics. In cartography, an organized collection of symbols forms a legend for a map.
Etymology[edit]
The word symbol derives from the late Middle French masculine noun symbole, which appeared around 1380 in a theological sense signifying a formula used in the Roman Catholic Church as a sort of synonym for ‘the credo’; by extension in the early Renaissance it came to mean ‘a maxim’ or ‘the external sign of a sacrament’; these meanings were lost in secular contexts. It was during the Renaissance in the mid-16th century that the word took on the meaning that is dominant today, that of ‘a natural fact or object evoking by its form or its nature an association of ideas with something abstract or absent’; this appears, for example, in François Rabelais, Le Quart Livre, in 1552.[1] This French word derives from Latin, where both the masculine noun symbolus and the neuter noun symbolum refer to «a mark or sign as a means of recognition.»[2] The Latin word derives from the Greek σύμβολον symbolon, from a verb meaning ‘throw together, put together, compare,’ alluding to the Classical practice of breaking a piece of ceramic in two and giving one half to the person who would receive a future message, and one half to the person who would send it: when the two fit perfectly together, the receiver could be sure that the messenger bearing it did indeed also carry a genuine message from the intended person.[3] A literary or artistic symbol as an «outward sign» of something else is a metaphorical extension of this notion of a message from a sender to a recipient. In English, the meaning «something which stands for something else» was first recorded in 1590, in Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queene.[4]
Concepts and definitions[edit]
Symbols are a means of complex communication that often can have multiple levels of meaning.[5] Symbols are the basis of all human understanding and serve as vehicles of conception for all human knowledge.[6] Symbols facilitate understanding of the world in which we live, thus serving as the grounds upon which we make judgments.[7] In this way, people use symbols not only to make sense of the world around them, but also to identify and cooperate in society through constitutive rhetoric.
Human cultures use symbols to express specific ideologies and social structures and to represent aspects of their specific culture. Thus, symbols carry meanings that depend upon one’s cultural background. As a result, the meaning of a symbol is not inherent in the symbol itself but is culturally learned.[5]
Heinrich Zimmer gives a concise overview of the nature, and perennial relevance, of symbols.
Concepts and words are symbols, just as visions, rituals, and images are; so too are the manners and customs of daily life. Through all of these a transcendent reality is mirrored. There are so many metaphors reflecting and implying something which, though thus variously expressed, is ineffable, though thus rendered multiform, remains inscrutable. Symbols hold the mind to truth but are not themselves the truth, hence it is delusory to borrow them. Each civilisation, every age, must bring forth its own.»[8]
In the book Signs and Symbols, it is stated that
A symbol … is a visual image or sign representing an idea — a deeper indicator of universal truth.[9]
Symbols and semiotics[edit]
Semiotics is the study of signs, symbols, and signification as communicative behavior. Semiotics studies focus on the relationship of the signifier and the signified, also taking into account the interpretation of visual cues, body language, sound, and other contextual clues. Semiotics is linked with linguistics and psychology. Semioticians not only study what a symbol implies but also how it got its meaning and how it functions to make meaning in society. Symbols allow the human brain continuously to create meaning using sensory input and decode symbols through both denotation and connotation.
Psychoanalysis, rhetoric, and archetypes[edit]
An alternative definition of symbol, distinguishing it from the term sign was proposed by Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. In his studies on what is now called Jungian archetypes, a sign stands for something known, as a word stands for its referent. He contrasted a sign with a symbol: something that is unknown and that cannot be made clear or precise. An example of a symbol in this sense is Christ as a symbol of the archetype called self.[10]
Kenneth Burke described Homo sapiens as a «symbol-using, symbol making, and symbol misusing animal» to suggest that a person creates symbols as well as misuses them. One example he uses to indicate what he means by the misuse of symbol is the story of a man who, when told that a particular food item was whale blubber, could barely keep from throwing it up. Later, his friend discovered it was actually just a dumpling. But the man’s reaction was a direct consequence of the symbol of «blubber» representing something inedible in his mind. In addition, the symbol of «blubber» was created by the man through various kinds of learning.
Burke goes on to describe symbols as also being derived from Sigmund Freud’s work on condensation and displacement, further stating that symbols are not just relevant to the theory of dreams but also to «normal symbol systems». He says they are related through «substitution», where one word, phrase, or symbol is substituted for another in order to change the meaning.[clarification needed] In other words, if one person does not understand a certain word or phrase, another person may substitute a synonym or symbol in order to get the meaning across. However, upon learning the new way of interpreting a specific symbol, the person may change his or her already-formed ideas to incorporate the new information.
Jean Dalby Clift says that people not only add their own interpretations to symbols, they also create personal symbols that represent their own understanding of their lives: what she calls «core images» of the person. Clift argues that symbolic work with these personal symbols or core images can be as useful as working with dream symbols in psychoanalysis or counseling.[11]
William Indick suggests that the symbols that are commonly found in myth, legend, and fantasy fulfill psychological functions and hence are why archetypes such as «the hero,» «the princess» and «the witch» have remained popular for centuries.[12]
Symbolic value[edit]
Symbols can carry symbolic value in three primary forms: Ideological, comparative, and isomorphic.[13] Ideological symbols such as religious and state symbols convey complex sets of beliefs and ideas that indicate «the right thing to do». Comparative symbols such as prestigious office addresses, fine art, and prominent awards indicate answers to questions of «better or worse» and «superior or inferior». Isomorphic symbols blend in with the surrounding cultural environment such that they enable individuals and organizations to conform to their surroundings and evade social and political scrutiny. Examples of symbols with isomorphic value include wearing a professional dress during business meetings, shaking hands to greet others in the West, or bowing to greet others in the East. A single symbol can carry multiple distinct meanings such that it provides multiple types of symbolic value.[13]
Paul Tillich[edit]
Paul Tillich argued that, while signs are invented and forgotten, symbols are born and die.[14] There are, therefore, dead and living symbols. A living symbol can reveal to an individual hidden levels of meaning and transcendent or religious realities. For Tillich a symbol always «points beyond itself» to something that is unquantifiable and mysterious; symbols open up the «depth dimension of reality itself».[15] Symbols are complex, and their meanings can evolve as the individual or culture evolves. When a symbol loses its meaning and power for an individual or culture, it becomes a dead symbol.
When a symbol becomes identified with the deeper reality to which it refers, it becomes idolatrous as the «symbol is taken for reality.» The symbol itself is substituted for the deeper meaning it intends to convey. The unique nature of a symbol is that it gives access to deeper layers of reality which are otherwise inaccessible.[16]
Role of context in symbolism[edit]
A symbol’s meaning may be modified by various factors including popular usage, history, and contextual intent.
Historical meaning[edit]
The history of a symbol is one of many factors in determining a particular symbol’s apparent meaning. Consequently, symbols with emotive power carry problems analogous to false etymologies.[17]
Context[edit]
The context of a symbol may change its meaning. Similar five-pointed stars might signify a law enforcement officer or a member of the armed services, depending upon the uniform.
Symbols in cartography[edit]
The three categories of cartographic symbol shapes
Symbols are used in cartography to communicate geographical information (generally as point, line, or area features).[18] As with other symbols, visual variables such as size, shape, orientation, texture, and pattern provide meaning to the symbol.[19] According to semiotics, map symbols are «read» by map users when they make a connection between the graphic mark on the map (the sign), a general concept (the interpretant), and a particular feature of the real world (the referent). Map symbols can thus be categorized by how they suggest this connection:[20][21]
- Pictorial symbols (also «image», «iconic», or «replicative») appear as the real-world feature, although it is often in a generalized manner; e.g. a tree icon to represent a forest, or green denoting vegetation.
- Functional symbols (also «representational») directly represent the activity that takes place at the represented feature; e.g. a picture of a skier to represent a ski resort or a tent to represent a campground.
- Conceptual symbols directly represent a concept related to the represented feature; e.g. a dollar sign to represent an ATM, or a Star of David to represent a Jewish synagogue.
- Conventional symbols (also «associative») do not have any intuitive relationship but are so commonly used that map readers eventually learn to recognize them; e.g. a red line to represent a highway or a cross to represent a hospital.
- Abstract/geometric symbols (also «adhHoc») are arbitrary shapes chosen by the cartographer to represent a certain feature.
[edit]
A symbolic action is an action that symbolizes or signals what the actor wants or believes. The action conveys meaning to the viewers. Symbolic action may overlap with symbolic speech, such as the use of flag burning to express hostility or saluting the flag to express patriotism.[22] In response to intense public criticism, businesses, organizations, and governments may take symbolic actions rather than, or in addition to, directly addressing the identified problems.[23]
See also[edit]
- Alchemical symbol
- Astrological symbols
- Astronomical symbols
- Emblem
- Icon (religious) and secular icon
- List of symbols
- Logo
- National symbol
- National treasure
- Pictogram
- Proto-writing
- Sign
- Symbolic interactionism
- Symbolism (arts)
- Table of mathematical symbols
- Traffic signs
- Unicode symbols
- Universal language
References[edit]
- ^ Alain Rey et al., eds., Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, new edition, vol. 2 (Paris: Dictionnaires Le Robert, 1995), p. 2082.
- ^ Eric Partridge, Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, 2nd ed. (New York: Macmillan, 1959), p. 688.
- ^ Alain Rey et al., eds., Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, new edition, vol. 2 (Paris: Dictionnaires Le Robert, 1995), p. 2082.
- ^ Online Etymological Dictionary
- ^ a b Womack, Mari. Symbols and Meaning: A Concise Introduction. California: AltaMira Press, 2005.
- ^ Langer, Susanne K. A Theory of Art, Developed From: Philosophy in a New Key. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1953.
- ^ Palczewski, Catherine, and Ice, Richard, and Fritch, John. Rhetoric in Civic Life. Pennsylvania: Strata Publishing, Inc., 2012.
- ^ Zimmer, Heinrich (1969). Campbell, Joseph (ed.). Philosophies of India (9. paperback print. ed.). Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. pp. 1–2. ISBN 0-691-01758-1.
- ^ Dorling Kindersley Limited. Signs and Symbols. p.6. ISBN 978-0-7566-3393-6. 2008
- ^ Christ, A symbol of the self CW vol 9i Aion RKP 1958
- ^ Jean Dalby Clift, Core Images of the Self: A Symbolic Approach to Healing and Wholeness. Crossroad, 1992.[page needed]
- ^ Indick, William. Ancient Symbology in Fantasy Literature: A Psychological Study. Jefferson: McFarland &, 2012. Print.
- ^ a b Schnackenberg, Andrew K.; Bundy, Jonathan; Coen, Corinne; Westphal, James (2019). «Capitalizing on Categories of Social Construction: A Review and Integration of Organizational Research on Symbolic Management Strategies». Academy of Management Annals. 13 (2): 375–413. doi:10.5465/annals.2017.0096. S2CID 150656804.
- ^ Tillich, Paul (1964). Theology of Culture. Oxford University Press. pp. 58. ISBN 0195007115.
- ^ Tillich, Paul (1964). Theology of Culture. Oxford University Press. pp. 59. ISBN 0195007115.
- ^ Tillich, Paul (1964). Theology of Culture. Oxford University Press. pp. 54. ISBN 0195007115.
- ^
Compare:
Basso, Michele (1982). Eschatological symbolism in the Vatican Necropolis. Tipografia Poliglotta Vaticana. p. 700. Retrieved 2019-01-05.In a late period the Greeks made [Pan] the incarnation of All (giving a false etymology to his name, which is really connected with the pastures), that is to say, the universe.
- ^ Tyner, Judith A. (2010). Principles of map design. New York: Guilford Press. ISBN 9781606235447. OCLC 437300476.
- ^ Dent, Borden D.; Torguson, Jeffrey; Hodler, T. W. (2008-08-21). Cartography : thematic map design (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. ISBN 978-0072943825. OCLC 184827987.
- ^ MacEachren, Alan (1995) How Maps Work: Representation, visualization, and design, New York: Guilford Press
- ^ Dent, Borden D. (1999). Cartography : thematic map design (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. ISBN 0697384950.
- ^ Bagossy, Renate. The Difficulty of the Amendment Process of the Constitution of the United States of America and Freedom of Speech and its limits. GRIN Verlag; 2008-08-11 [cited 5 November 2012]. ISBN 9783640129546. p. 16–17.
- ^ Bednar, Michael Kay. How Symbolic Action Affects the Media as a Governance Mechanism. ProQuest; 2008. ISBN 9780549738817. p. 17.
Noun
the traditional physician’s symbol of a staff entwined with a snake
the symbol ¶ indicates where a new paragraph should begin
Recent Examples on the Web
The Dumbo elephants flying through the composition reference both her Alzheimer’s condition (the elephant is seen as a symbol linked to the disease) and his childhood memory of a Disney book his parents bought.
—
Eva Recinos, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2023
Attempts over the past two centuries to present the resurrection as a vague symbol or literary device or imaginative indicator that the cause of Christ goes on are comically inadequate.
—Robert Barron, wsj.com, 6 Apr. 2023
Because nobody should have to fear walking down the street wearing symbols of their faith.
—Joe Biden, CNN, 5 Apr. 2023
Meloni and her party, which displays proudly in its logo a flame in the colors of the Italian flag, once a symbol Italy’s neo-fascist party, insistently reject the label of fascist.
—Annalisa Merelli, Quartz, 5 Apr. 2023
King Charles has chosen to highlight an ancient folkloric symbol instead.
—Town & Country, 5 Apr. 2023
Charles’s crest features a lion and a unicorn, symbols of England and Scotland respectively.
—Jennifer Hassan, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2023
The machine is easy to set up with backlit buttons and icons with simple symbols and numbers.
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2023
The Green Man is crowned with natural foliage including ivy, oak and hawthorn which are U.K. symbols.
—Morgan Hines, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2023
The laser eyes symbol that Saylor incorporated into his profile picture started in online Bitcoin communities but has spread to the mainstream.
—Fortune, 13 June 2022
Press and hold the app icon, tap App Info (the i symbol), and tap Permissions.
—Julian Chokkattu, Wired, 8 Sep. 2020
The Unicode Consortium—the organization in charge of determining which symbols our devices are supposed to recognize—has more and more been measuring the wrong thing in the process of approving new emoji.
—Wired, 8 Nov. 2019
Drawing route cards and placing trains remains the same, but most tracks on the board that connect two cities also have one or more railroad company symbols next to them.
—Keith Law, Ars Technica, 12 Oct. 2019
To me that demonstrated the central role that symbols play in the culture.
—Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, 16 Mar. 2017
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘symbol.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
- Definition & Examples
- When & How to Write a Symbol
- Quiz
I. What is a Symbol?
A symbol (pronounced SIM-bull) is any image or thing that stands for something else. It could be as simple as a letter, which is a symbol for a given sound (or set of sounds). Similarly, every word is a symbol for the idea it represents. Flags are symbols for nations. And of course, we have all sorts of visual symbols that we use every day: $ @ & =
However, symbols don’t have to be the kind of things you only find on keyboards. A tree might symbolize nature. Einstein symbolizes genius in our culture. Anything can be a symbol, if we make it one. In literature, symbols are often characters, settings, images, or other motifs that stand in for bigger ideas. Authors often use symbols (or “symbolism”) to give their work with more meaning and to make a story be about more than the events it describes. This is one of the most basic and widespread of all literary techniques.
However, authors don’t usually give us a roadmap to their symbolism, so it can take a lot of thought to figure out exactly what the symbols in a work of literature stand for —to interpret them.
II. Examples and Explanation
Example 1
In Greek mythology, the Gods are all symbols for forces of nature – for example, Poseidon is a symbol for the sea. He is extremely powerful, but also wrathful and unpredictable. By telling stories of Poseidon’s vengeful fury, the Greeks (who were not great shipbuilders) symbolically delivered a message about how dangerous the sea can be.
Example 2
In our culture, Albert Einstein is the ultimate symbol of intelligence and scientific genius. When we simply see Einstein’s iconic face on a T-shirt, book cover, or advertisement, we immediately know that whoever put that image there was trying to say something related to extreme intelligence.
III. The Importance of Symbol
Symbols add layers of meaning to a story, poem, or other creative work. They enable an author to deliver an idea or message within a narrative, a message on multiple levels. For example, an author might deliver a message about God by writing a story about a large family, in which one or both parents are symbols for God, while the children are symbols for humanity (and perhaps there are pets or a garden to represent the natural world). The story could be simultaneously about family dynamics and about religion. In other words, symbols add depth.
In addition to using symbols in their writing, authors may also critique symbols that already exist in their culture (or someone else’s). For example, apes in Western culture stereotypically symbolize humanity’s natural origins and the primitive traits that we normally attribute to animals. If a person is acting rudely, stupidly, or violently, we might call him an ‘ape’ or a ‘gorilla’ which expresses a negative view of wild nature, and human nature, in our culture. But in the Planet of the Apes movies, this symbol is reversed – the apes are often more sympathetic, sophisticated, and intelligent than the people, so they come to symbolize some of the best qualities of humanity as well as the worst. This makes the movie a critique of popular ideas about humanity and nature: ‘human nature isn’t all bad and the badness in people isn’t necessarily natural.’ At the same time, human beings normally symbolize civilization and humanitarian values, however the cruelty of some of the people in movies makes humanity the symbol of brutishness instead of the apes.
IV. Examples of Symbol in Literature
Example 1
In The Raven, Edgar Allen Poe’s most famous poem, the huge black bird is a symbol for the narrator’s deep feelings of loss, regret, mourning, and loneliness. Every time the narrator’s thoughts stray to his late wife, the raven croaks “nevermore.” This is a symbol for the way the narrator’s mind constantly reminds him of his loss, causing him to sink further and further into despair and sorrow.
Example 2
Robert Herrick’s poem To the Virgins uses a symbol of rosebuds in its first stanza. Since rosebuds only last a short time, they are a perfect symbol for youth and all the pleasures that come with it. In the poem, Herrick exhorts the young virgins to enjoy themselves and their youth before it goes away just like the rosebuds in summer.
V. Examples of Symbol in Pop Culture
Example 1
In the Lord of the Rings movies and books, the One Ring is a symbol for power, selfishness, and greed. Everyone wants it and many characters are willing to kill for it. Some begin with good intentions, but ultimately the Ring corrupts them and bends them to its will. The symbolism of the story implies that power seduces, corrupts, controls, and destroys people who are attached to it, just as the Ring does to its owners.
Example 2
The band Led Zeppelin’s song Stairway to Heaven uses symbolism throughout its lyrics. The song itself is an allegory for the disappointment that ultimately comes to those who seek wealth for its own sake; eventually, they realize that money cannot buy happiness, and all the sacrifices they’ve made in order to increase their wealth suddenly become meaningless. The symbols of “gold” and “buying a stairway to heaven” stand for wealth and, more broadly, for all the material comforts that people lust after, but which ultimately cannot bring true fulfillment.
VI. Related Terms
Allegory
An allegory is a complex form of symbolism in which the entire story is a symbol for something else.
For example, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and the rise of the Soviet Union. Each of the characters is symbolic – Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, for example, while the cart-horse Boxer represents the Russian working class. The novel as a whole describes Orwell’s interpretation of the events in Russia, and warns of the dangers of Communism while simultaneously making a case that it was individual evil, not Communism as an ideology, that caused the injustices of the Soviet Union. So an allegory is a big symbol that contains many symbols within it.
Allegories have been used since ancient times to deliver stories about cultural values, heritage, and history. Ancient mythologies often take the form of allegories for deep psychological and spiritual truths, while several stories in the New Testament are allegories for Christian moral truths.
Metaphor
A metaphor is kind of like a symbol, but it’s usually used briefly (over the span of just a sentence or two), whereas a symbol is usually extended throughout a story or poem. For example, take the common expression “bottled-up emotion.” In this expression, the bottle is a metaphor for holding in feelings. However, if we had an entire work in which bottles kept appearing at key psychological moments in the story, we might begin to suspect that the bottles were a symbol for this emotional problem.
This is a grey area – what if a metaphor is extended across a whole stanza, or a chapter, but is absent in the rest of the work? Is it still a metaphor, or is it a symbol? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter much at that point. If something is in the grey area between metaphor and symbol, you can call it either.
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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), sym·boled, sym·bol·ing or (especially British) sym·bolled, sym·bol·ling.
QUIZ
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Origin of symbol
1400–50; late Middle English <Latin symbolum<Greek sýmbolon sign, equivalent to sym-sym- + -bolon, neuter for bolḗ (feminine) a throw
Words nearby symbol
Symbionese, Symbionese Liberation Army, symbiont, symbiosis, symbiotic, symbol, symbolic, symbolical books, symbolic interactionism, symbolic language, symbolic logic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to symbol
badge, design, emblem, figure, image, indication, logo, motif, pattern, token, type, attribute, denotation, device, mark, note, numeral, regalia, representation, stamp
How to use symbol in a sentence
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In the debates over how Britain should handle its departure from the EU, fishing morphed into a symbol of Britain’s potential independence.
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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.
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Some have turned masks into a symbol of government overreach.
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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.
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Its journey from provincial beginnings to global fashion symbol traces Britain’s history as it became a financial powerhouse.
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We see detoxing as a path to transcendence, a symbol of modern urban virtue and self-transformation through abstinence.
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It is now possible the building can be a symbol for progress.
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Conservative Muslim women in Turkey hailed Esme as a martyr and a symbol of female strength and resistance.
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Sherlock Holmes is a new millennium sex symbol with books, movies, and TV episodes introducing him to a new generation of fans.
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In Wicca, the female goddess is represented by the Moon, a symbol of Mother Earth and fertility.
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Light, the symbol of life’s joy, seems to be the first language in which the spirit of beauty speaks to a child.
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This method of concealing the face, together with the wearing of the immense hat, was a symbol of mourning.
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The mayorʼs symbol of office is a cane with a silver knob, plated ferrule, and black cord and tassels.
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The olive, too, was sacred to Minerva, and as the symbol of peace was woven into the victors crown.
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The symbol of the heaven-bound ship— —is mentioned by Clement of Alexandria as being in vogue in the second century.
British Dictionary definitions for symbol
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 repressedthe symbols of dreams
psychol any mental process that represents some feature of external reality
verb -bols, -bolling or -bolled or US -bols, -boling or -boled
Word Origin for symbol
C15: from Church Latin symbolum, from Greek sumbolon sign, from sumballein to throw together, from syn- + ballein to throw
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for symbol
A conventional, printed or written figure used to represent an operation, element, quantity, relation, unit of measurement, phenomenon, or descriptor. Also called sign
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for symbol (1 of 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.
Cultural definitions for symbol (2 of 2)
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.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with symbol
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
the letters used to identify listed companies on the securities exchanges where they are traded
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
a symbol of disgrace or infamy
an individual instance of a type of symbol
all of the tokens of the same symbol
a symbol of inquisitiveness
a symbol used to represent a number
a system of symbols and symbolic representations
the Hindu phallic symbol of Siva
a symbol for a unit of currency (especially for the pound sterling in Great Britain)
a written or printed symbol
a symbol of commercialism or greed
a graphic symbol consisting of 2 or more letters combined (usually your initials); printed on stationery or embroidered on clothing
a symbol that is the result of printing or engraving
the cloak as a symbol of authority
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
a rod carried as a symbol
(computer science) a graphic symbol (usually a simple picture) that denotes a program or a command or a data file or a concept in a graphical user interface
a distinguishing symbol
a symbol that establishes the identity of the one bearing it
a symbol (like x or y) that is used in mathematical or logical expressions to represent a variable quantity
a small, often stylized graphic symbol
something given as a token of victory
(Judaism) the honor of being called up to the reading desk in the synagogue to read from the Torah
an award conferred by a college or university signifying that the recipient has satisfactorily completed a course of study
the award given to the champion
an indication of approved or superior status
an official award (as for bravery or service) usually given as formal public statement
an official recognition of merit
an award earned by participation in a school sport
an award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event
an award for success in war or hunting
a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually given in school or armed forces
a mark of bastardy; lines from top right to bottom left
identification mark on the ear of a domestic animal
identification mark on skin, made by burning
the mark of Satan
a small adhesive token stuck on a letter or package to indicate that that postal fees have been paid
a token resembling a stamp given by a retailer to a buyer; the token is redeemable for articles on a special list
one of the symbols 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0
a symbol in the old Roman notation; I,V,X,L,C,D,M represent 1,5,10,50,100,500,1000 respectively in Arabic notation
the number of which a given number is the logarithm
a written or printed symbol (as for punctuation)
a written symbol that is used to represent speech
any written symbol standing for a sound or syllable or morpheme or word
a formally registered symbol identifying the manufacturer or distributor of a product
a mark on an article of trade to indicate its origin and authenticity
an impression produced by pressure or printing
a stamp affixed to a document (as to attest to its authenticity or to seal it)
a staff surmounted by a crook or cross carried by bishops as a symbol of pastoral office
a ceremonial staff carried as a symbol of office or authority
a ceremonial or emblematic staff
staff with a metal tip carried as a sign of office by e.g. a bailiff or constable
an annual award by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievements in television
an annual award for outstanding contributions to chemistry or physics or physiology and medicine or literature or economics or peace
an annual award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for achievements in motion picture production and performance
an annual prize awarded by the French government in a competition of painters and artists and sculptors and musicians and architects; the winner in each category receives support for a period of study in Rome
an award given annually for contributions to French literature
a cancellation mark stamped on mail by postal officials; indicates the post office and date of mailing
a distinguishing mark impressed on paper during manufacture; visible when paper is held up to the light
an arrowhead mark identifying British government property
stone post at side of a road to show distances
a symbol in a logical or mathematical expression that can be replaced by the name of any member of specified set
a variable whose values are solutions of an equation
small markers inserted into a surface to mark scores or define locations etc.
a mark on a die or on a playing card (shape depending on the suit)
an identifying or descriptive marker that is attached to an object
a mound of stones piled up as a memorial or to mark a boundary or path