empty signifier

American  

[emp-tee sig-nuh-fahy-er] / ˈɛmp ti ˈsɪg nəˌfaɪ ər /

noun

Semiotics.

1. a word or phrase used in such a way that it does not have a fixed, specific meaning, allowing it to refer to different, often contradictory things depending on who is using it and in what context.

   The term “freedom” can be an empty signifier in politics, with different groups using it as justification for opposing goals.

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Etymology

Origin of empty signifier

First recorded in 1970–75