Definitions for symbol
ˈsɪm bəlsym·bol

Princeton's WordNet(3.83 / 11 votes)Rate this definition:

1. symbol(noun)

   an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance

2. symbol, symbolization, symbolisation, symbolic representation(noun)

   something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible

   "the eagle is a symbol of the United States"

Wiktionary(3.22 / 9 votes)Rate this definition:

1. symbol(Noun)

   A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.

2. symbol(Noun)

   Any object, typically material, which is meant to represent another (usually abstract) even if there is no meaningful relationship.

   The dollar symbol has no relationship to the concept of currency or any related idea.

3. symbol(Noun)

   A type of noun whereby the form refers to the same entity independently of the context; a symbol arbitrarily denotes a referent. See also icon and index.

4. symbol(Noun)

   A summary of a dogmatic statement of faith.

   The Apostles, Nicene Creed and the confessional books of Protestantism, such as the Augsburg Confession of Lutheranism are considered symbols.

5. symbol(Noun)

   Visible traces or impressions, made using a writing device or tool, that are connected together and/or are slightly separated. Sometimes symbols represent objects or events that occupy space or things that are not physical and do not occupy space.

6. symbol(Verb)

   To symbolize

Wikipedia(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Symbol

   A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or 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 may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a blue line might represent a river. Numerals are symbols for numbers. Alphabetic letters may be symbols for sounds. Personal names are symbols representing individuals. A red rose may symbolize love and compassion. The variable 'x', in a mathematical equation, may symbolize the position of a particle in space. The academic study of symbols is semiotics. In cartography, an organized collection of symbols forms a legend for a map.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Symbol(noun)

   a visible sign or representation of an idea; anything which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by resemblance or by convention; an emblem; a representation; a type; a figure; as, the lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience

2. Symbol(noun)

   any character used to represent a quantity, an operation, a relation, or an abbreviation

3. Symbol(noun)

   an abstract or compendium of faith or doctrine; a creed, or a summary of the articles of religion

4. Symbol(noun)

   that which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty

5. Symbol(noun)

   share; allotment

6. Symbol(noun)

   an abbreviation standing for the name of an element and consisting of the initial letter of the Latin or New Latin name, or sometimes of the initial letter with a following one; as, C for carbon, Na for sodium (Natrium), Fe for iron (Ferrum), Sn for tin (Stannum), Sb for antimony (Stibium), etc. See the list of names and symbols under Element

7. Symbol(verb)

   to symbolize

Freebase(3.85 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Symbol

   A symbol is an object that represents, stands for, or suggests an idea, belief, action, or material entity. Symbols take the form of words, sounds, gestures, or visual images and are used to convey ideas and beliefs. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for numbers. Personal names are symbols representing individuals. A red rose symbolizes love and compassion. In cartography, an organized collection of symbols forms a legend.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Symbol

   sim′bol, n. a sign by which one knows a thing: an arbitrary or other conventional mark, abbreviating methods of scientific expression, as in algebra, and esp. chemistry: an emblem: that which represents something else: a figure or letter representing something: (theol.) a creed, compendium of doctrine, or a typical religious rite, as the Eucharist.—adjs. Symbol′ic, -al, pertaining to, or of the nature of, a symbol: representing by signs: emblematic: figurative: typical.—adv. Symbol′ically.—ns. Symbol′icalness; Symbol′ics, the study of the history and contents of Christian creeds; Symbolisā′tion.—v.i. Sym′bolise, to be symbolical: to resemble in qualities.—v.t. to represent by symbols.—ns. Sym′boliser, Sym′bolist, one who uses symbols; Sym′bolism, representation by symbols or signs: a system of symbols: use of symbols: (theol.) the science of symbols or creeds.—adjs. Symbolist′ic, -al.—ns. Symbol′ogy, Symbolol′ogy, the art of representing by symbols; Symbolol′atry, undue veneration for symbols; Sym′bolry, the use of symbols generally. [Gr. symbolon, from symballein—syn, together, ballein, to throw.]

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. symbol

   In a military sense, a badge. Every regiment in the British service has its badge.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. symbol

   A person, visual sign or concept that describes an action, belief, vision or quality.

   Some people see the dove as a universal symbol of peace, some people are used as a symbol of peace e.g. Nelson Mandela.

   Submitted by MaryC on June 19, 2016  

Suggested Resources(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. symbol

   Song lyrics by symbol -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by symbol on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'symbol' in Nouns Frequency: #1363

How to pronounce symbol?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say symbol in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of symbol in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of symbol in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of symbol in a Sentence

1. Max Lederer , Jr.:

   United States ''s not great right now, there's a lot of anxiety, especially for people who have worked for the organization for a long time and deeply believe in its mission, who see this as a symbol of a big loss to the military community and the country as a whole.

2. Margaret Fuller:

   Art can only be truly Art by presenting an adequate outward symbol of some fact in the interior life.

3. Chairman Michael Bloomberg:

   His visit will also serve as a marker for how far the World Trade Center has come since Pope Benedict XVI visited the site seven years ago, when it was still an open hole in the ground and closed off to the public, now, it is a beautiful and inspiring place, a symbol of our rebirth and resilience that is full of life, and that honors the victims of the attacks and tells their stories to the world.

4. President Trump:

   As President Trump honor President Trump shared victory and heritage, President Trump affirm the common values that will unite President Trump long into future : freedom, sovereignty, self-determination, the rule of law and reverence for the rights given to President Trump by almighty God, from the Second World War to today, her majesty has stood as a constant symbol of these priceless traditions.

5. Musin Almat Zhumabekovich:

   1. Patience like wine over time, you will experience the rich taste of detail. 2. Gene transformation shapes thinking and the future. 3. A lonely person is like the restless soul of reality, an ever wandering spirit in the eternal darkness of despair in the cosmic void of loneliness, meeting the dawns of the twilight of sorrow. 4. A race of smiles or a race called: Smile. This is my fantastic race of vision that you see in my many drawings. Their smiles as a symbol of awareness are something absolutely brilliant. 5. Forgiveness is better than eternal anger, which everyone does not care about. 6. Oblivion is the insidious essence of progress. 7. Civilization is when a wild wolf becomes an obedient dog of the system. 8. Laziness is an adverse reaction to the artificial system of society. 9. Truth plunges into loneliness. 10. Atmosphere is the basis and essence of any kind of art. 11. Eternity is the funeral of logic. 12. The sound of death is a small Chinese gong of death, like the sound of a dying inevitability of the heart. Filled with a deep drama of a panting breathing in the last breaths of the air of life. It was as if they had put a bag on his head for strangulation. Like a leap into the inevitability of the emptiness of a new reality of immersion in the darkness of eternity. 13. Aliens live for millennia, thousands of life experiences. But even they don’t understand our paradoxical logic of why people still hang each other on meat hooks in memory refrigerators, which have everything from love to hate. 14. Laughter through pain and depression, like a through wound from a bullet and you feel relief. Pain will give you much more awareness and experience than pleasure. 15. A person lives too little because of the time frame of the body; there is little to understand himself, life. Problems accelerate the mind hundreds of millennia onward without consciousness and awareness, and the brain depletes itself in the false illusions of the illusory traps of the deception of the false truth of egoism. 16. Progress is an inevitability in which culture will turn into a polite formality. But because of money, this progress is slowed down because everyone makes no discoveries, almost everyone is waiting for a salary. 17. We are surrounded by anomalous thinking of rationality, and the paranormal paradoxes of egoism between the lines of everyday life. 18. The Universe is a radio and only a few have tuned their brain radio waves with this endless source of genius. Author: Musin Almat Zhumabekovich

Images & Illustrations of symbol

Popularity rank by frequency of use