signifier

noun

sig·​ni·​fi·​er ˈsig-nə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

1

: one that signifies

2

: a symbol, sound, or image (such as a word) that represents an underlying concept or meaning compare signified

Examples of signifier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, as those kids grew up and, inevitably, got sentimental about their childhood, the diner adopted a standard set of surface-level signifiers and effectively turned itself into a nostalgia factory. —Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025

The painting becomes a metaphorical screen against which the play can project its critique of taste as a signifier of identity, virtue, and power. —Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025

In doing so, The Pitt denied Apple TV+ bragging rights for taking two of the biggest awards of the night (The Studio won Outstanding Comedy Series), which would have been a first for the streamer and a clear signifier that the tech company could hang. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025

The trend has baffled parents, to the delight of young people experiencing the thrill of a new, fleeting cultural signifier that is illegible to older generations. —Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for signifier

• amplifier
• clarifier
• classifier
• gasifier
• magnifier
• modifier
• multiplier
• occupier
• pacifier
• purifier
• qualifier
• quantifier