significance
Americannoun
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importance; consequence.
the significance of the new treaty.
- Antonyms:
- triviality
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meaning; import.
The familiar place had a new significance for her.
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the quality of being significant or having a meaning.
to give significance to dull chores.
noun
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consequence or importance
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something signified, expressed, or intended
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the state or quality of being significant
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statistics
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a measure of the confidence that can be placed in a result, esp a substantive causal hypothesis, as not being merely a matter of chance
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( as modifier ) Compare confidence level See also hypothesis testing
a significance level
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Related Words
See importance. See meaning.
Other Word Forms
- nonsignificance noun
- self-significance noun
Etymology
Origin of significance
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English (from Middle French ), from Latin significantia “force, meaning,” equivalent to significant- ( significant ) + -ia -ia; ( -ance )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In an interview with AFP, Kutryk discusses the significance of this new chapter of American space exploration:
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
Will Annie and Link’s child have a significance in Season 3?
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
Which fairly raises a few questions about the utility of employing Hegel as a guide to historical significance.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
Kerr is back at the Calderwood Inn in East Kilbride - a place of special significance not just because it's where he met his wife.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
The music acts as a stimulus to which the body responds, after which sensation returns to the brain to form emotions, which deepens the significance of the experience.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
