symbolic
Americanadjective
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serving as a symbol of something (often followed byof ).
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of, relating to, or expressed by a symbol.
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characterized by or involving the use of symbols.
a highly symbolic poem.
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(in semantics, especially formerly) pertaining to a class of words that express only relations.
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Computers. expressed in characters, usually nonnumeric, that require translation before they can be used (absolute ).
adjective
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of or relating to a symbol or symbols
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serving as a symbol
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characterized by the use of symbols or symbolism
Other Word Forms
- nonsymbolic adjective
- nonsymbolical adjective
- nonsymbolically adverb
- nonsymbolicalness noun
- symbolically adverb
- symbolicalness noun
- unsymbolic adjective
- unsymbolical adjective
- unsymbolically adverb
Etymology
Origin of symbolic
First recorded in 1650–60; from Late Latin symbolicus, from Greek symbolikós; symbol, -ic
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.
"It will undoubtedly have symbolic consequences and will change the narrative and the way history will see Kosovo."
From Barron's
Instead, the evidence points to deliberate actions tied to social and symbolic goals.
From Science Daily
The milestone is particularly symbolic after a week in which tech stocks wobbled over AI fears and put the whole market at risk.
From Barron's
The milestone is particularly symbolic after a week in which tech stocks wobbled over AI fears and put the whole market at risk.
From Barron's
Stanford University student Atkin is studying symbolic systems in the United States.
From BBC
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.
