Definitions for significance
sɪgˈnɪf ɪ kənssig·nif·i·cance

Princeton's WordNet(3.50 / 10 votes)Rate this definition:

1. significancenoun

   the quality of being significant

   "do not underestimate the significance of nuclear power"

2. significance, import, implicationnoun

   a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred

   "the significance of his remark became clear only later"; "the expectation was spread both by word and by implication"

3. meaning, significance, signification, importnoun

   the message that is intended or expressed or signified

   "what is the meaning of this sentence"; "the significance of a red traffic light"; "the signification of Chinese characters"; "the import of his announcement was ambiguous"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. significancenoun

   The extent to which something matters; importance

   As a juror your opinion is of great significance for the outcome trial.

2. significancenoun

   Meaning.

3. Etymology: From significantia.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Significance, Significancynoun

   Etymology: from signify.

   1. Power of signifying; meaning.

   Speaking is a sensible expression of the notions of the mind by discriminations of utterance of voice, used as signs, having by consent several determinate significancies. William Holder.

   If he declares he intends it for the honour of another, he takes away by his words the significance of his action. Edward Stillingfleet.

   2. Force; energy; power of impressing the mind.

   The clearness of conception and expression, the boldness maintained to majesty, the significancy and sound of words, not strained into bombast, must escape our transient view upon the theatre. Dryden.

   As far as this duty will admit of privacy, our Saviour hath enjoined it in terms of particular significancy and force. Francis Atterbury.

   I have been admiring the wonderful significancy of that word persecution, and what various interpretations it hath acquired. Jonathan Swift.

   3. Importance; moment; consequence.

   How fatal would such a distinction have proved in former reigns, when many a circumstance of less significancy has been construed into an overt act of high treason? Addison.

Webster Dictionary(2.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Significancenoun

   alt. of Significancy

Freebase(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Significance

   Significance is a stock issue in policy debate which establishes the importance of the harms in the status quo. As a stock issue has fallen out of favor with the debate community almost all debaters and judges now believe that any plan which is preferable to the status quo is significant. Significance derives from the word "substantially" which appears in most resolutions, and one can argue that Significance has been subsumed by the option for the negative to use a Topicality violation on that word.

Matched Categories

1. • Importance
   • Meaning
   • Message

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'significance' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2161

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'significance' in Nouns Frequency: #976

How to pronounce significance?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say significance in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of significance in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of significance in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of significance in a Sentence

1. Emily Phillips:

   So many things in my life seemed of little significance at the time they happened, but then took on a greater importance as I got older, the memories I’m taking with me now are so precious and have more value than all the gold and silver in my jewelry box.

2. Peter Feigin:

   We are so excited to welcome Lisa to the Bucks family and to bring such a talented play-by-play announcer to our broadcast team, lisa's extensive television broadcasting background, including her play-by-play work for high-level NCAA basketball on several national networks, makes her the perfect choice to take on this major role. While we appreciate the significance of selecting Lisa, and we celebrate this historic moment, Lisa earned this position based on her extraordinary skills and experience. We look forward to Lisa becoming the voice of Milwaukee Bucks.

3. James Dean:

   To grasp the full significance of life is the actor’s duty; to interpret it his problem; and to express it his dedication.

4. Surfside Mayor Charles Mayor Burkett:

   I first want to touch on something that's become more and more apparent as the operation has gone on -- and that is the significance of that site with respect to the people who have lost their lives there, it is the right thing to do because it is obvious that this has become more than a collapsed building site. It's a holy site.

5. Cressida Williams:

   It is of the utmost significance to us to have here in our collections a copy of the core Christian text which was owned by one of the last monks of the medieval monastic community, the bible bears witness to the upheavals of the Reformation, a time which defined what the Cathedral is today, and will have a key role in telling visitors our story.

Popularity rank by frequency of use