symbol

noun sym·bol \ ˈsim-bəl \

Definition of symbol

1 :an authoritative summary of faith or doctrine :creed

2 :something that stands for or suggests something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental resemblance; especially :a visible sign of something invisible

the lion is a symbol of courage

3 :an arbitrary or conventional sign used in writing or printing relating to a particular field to represent operations, quantities, elements, relations, or qualities

4 :an object or act representing something in the unconscious mind that has been repressed

phallic symbols

5 :an act, sound, or object having cultural significance and the capacity to excite or objectify a response

See symbol defined for English-language learners

See symbol defined for kids

Examples of symbol in a Sentence

the traditional physician's symbol of a staff entwined with a snake
the symbol ¶ indicates where a new paragraph should begin

Recent Examples of symbol from the Web

At the time, the symbol in certain cultures meant harmony and good luck.

— michael smolens, sandiegouniontribune.com, "How would La Jolla's 'surf Nazis' fare these days?," 26 Aug. 2017
The fliers displayed what the Southern Poverty Law Center and others who monitor extremist groups have identified as a neo-fascist symbol.

— mará rose williams, kansascity, "White supremacist group is trying to recruit University of Missouri students," 23 Aug. 2017
Since the adoption Fifty became a symbol for dogs of all types, especially those with disabilities, via his growing social media presence.

— erin ben-moche, chicagotribune.com, "Beloved wonder rescue dog, Fifty the pit bull, dies," 22 Aug. 2017
During El Salvador’s civil war from 1979 to 1993, Bukele’s restaurants were bombed, burned and robbed dozens of times by communist guerrillas who regarded those golden arches as a grating symbol of American imperialism.

— glenn garvin, miamiherald, "Why you can’t (legally) buy a Big Mac in El Salvador," 10 Aug. 2017
But his creation and symbol of equality, acceptance, and diversity will live on.

— susan davis, Cosmopolitan, "Why I'm Proud to Display the Pride Flag," 24 July 2017
The symbol now features a more active-looking individual and it's been spotted a few places around Louisville.

— taylor m. riley, The Courier-Journal, "New handicapped icon shows up at Forecastle Festival," 18 July 2017
The zombies were symbols, stand-ins for whatever problems swarmed into a member's life.

— alden woods, azcentral, "'Here for the eviction': More renters forced from homes as affordable-housing crisis deepens," 16 July 2017
Mr Liu became a symbol of opposition to arbitrary power among a wide range of groups in China, not just Tiananmen-era dissidents.

— The Economist, "Liu Xiaobo’s former comradesXi Jinping keeps hundreds in prison for peaceful dissent," 15 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'symbol.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of symbol

in sense 1, from Late Latin symbolum, from Late Greek symbolon, from Greek, token, sign; in other senses from Latin symbolum token, sign, symbol, from Greek symbolon, literally, token of identity verified by comparing its other half, from symballein to throw together, compare, from syn- + ballein to throw — more at devil

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First Known Use: 15th century

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symbol Synonyms

Synonyms

ensign, hallmark, impresa, logo, emblem, totem, trademark

Related Words

attribute, icon (also ikon), pictograph; logogram, logograph; badge, coat of arms, cognizance, crest, insignia, monogram; colophon, stamp, token

Other Alphabet Terms

cuneiform, linear, minuscule, pictograph, rune, symbology, wedge

symbol

verb

Definition of symbol

symboled or symbolled; symboling or symbolling

:symbolize

Recent Examples of symbol from the Web

To me that demonstrated the central role that symbols play in the culture.

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "Why Americans Flocked to Catch a Glimpse of Hitler’s Car," 16 Mar. 2017

First Known Use of symbol

1832

SYMBOL Defined for English Language Learners

symbol

noun

Definition of symbol for English Language Learners

: an action, object, event, etc., that expresses or represents a particular idea or quality
: a letter, group of letters, character, or picture that is used instead of a word or group of words

SYMBOL Defined for Kids

symbol

noun sym·bol \ ˈsim-bəl \

Definition of symbol for Students

1 :something that stands for something else :emblem

The eagle is a symbol of the United States.

2 :a letter, character, or sign used instead of a word to represent a quantity, position, relationship, direction, or something to be done

The sign + is the symbol for addition.

Medical Dictionary

symbol

noun sym·bol \ ˈsim-bəl \

medical Definition of symbol

:something that stands for or suggests something else: as

a :an arbitrary or conventional sign used in writing or printing relating to a particular field to represent operations, quantities, elements, relations, or qualities

b :an object or act representing something in the unconscious mind that has been repressed

phallic symbols

—

symbolic

play \sim-ˈbäl-ik\ adjective

—

symbolically

play \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Learn More about symbol

See words that rhyme with symbol Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for symbol Spanish Central: Translation of symbol Nglish: Translation of symbol for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of symbol for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about symbol

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symbol

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SYMBOL Defined for English Language Learners

symbol

Definition of symbol for English Language Learners

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symbol

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symbol

medical Definition of symbol

symbolic

symbolically

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