What does "symbol" mean?
A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
Symbol
/ˈsɪmbəl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
- Grammar: symbol is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: a glyph, abbreviation, absalom, academic garb.
- Useful contrasts: numerical adjective.
- Usage evidence: The lion is often used as a symbol of courage.
How to use "symbol"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "symbol" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "symbol" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "symbol" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "symbol" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "symbol" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a glyph" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "symbol", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
""$" is the symbol for dollars in the US and some other countries."
- 2 something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible wordnet
- 3 A thing considered the embodiment or cardinal exemplar of a concept, theme, or other thing.
"The lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience."
- 4 an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance wordnet
- 5 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.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 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."
- 7 The numerical expression which defines a plane's position relative to the assumed axes.
- 8 That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty. obsolete
"They do their work in the days of peace […] and come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague."
- 9 Share; allotment. obsolete
"The persons who are to be judged […] shall all appear to receive their symbol."
- 10 An internal identifier used by a debugger to relate parts of the compiled program to the corresponding names in the source code.
- 11 A signalling event on a communications channel; a signal that cannot be further divided into meaningful information.
Verb
- 1 To symbolize.
"[…] They told me that the Holy Rood had lean'd / And bow'd above me; […] / [I]f it bow'd, whether it symbol'd ruin / Or glory, who shall tell?"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
numerical adjective
Example
"The lion is often used as a symbol of courage."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "symbol"?
Common synonyms include: a glyph, abbreviation, absalom, academic garb, accent, accent mark.
How do you use "symbol" in a sentence?
The lion is often used as a symbol of courage.
How do you pronounce "symbol"?
Pronounced /ˈsɪmbəl/.
Etymology
From French symbole, from Latin symbolus, symbolum (“a sign, mark, token, symbol, in Late Latin also a creed”), from Ancient Greek σύμβολον (súmbolon, “a sign by which one infers something; a mark, token, badge, ticket, tally, check, a signal, watchword, outward sign”), from συμβάλλω (sumbállō, “I throw together, dash together, compare, correspond, tally, come to a conclusion”), from σύν (sún, “with, together”) + βάλλω (bállō, “I throw, put”).