semaphore
[ sem-uh-fawr, -fohr ]
/ ˈsɛm əˌfɔr, -ˌfoʊr /
noun
an apparatus for conveying information by means of visual signals, as a light whose position may be changed.
any of various devices for signaling by changing the position of a light, flag, etc.
a system of signaling, especially a system by which a special flag is held in each hand and various positions of the arms indicate specific letters, numbers, etc.
verb (used with or without object), sem·a·phored, sem·a·phor·ing.
to signal by semaphore or by some system of flags.
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Origin of semaphore
1810–20; < Greek sêma sign + -phore
OTHER WORDS FROM semaphore
sem·a·phor·ic [sem-uh-fawr-ik, -for-] /ˌsɛm əˈfɔr ɪk, -ˈfɒr-/, sem·a·phor·i·cal, adjectivesem·a·phor·i·cal·ly, adverbWords nearby semaphore
semantic field, semantic memory, semantic tableau, semantic web, semantics, semaphore, semarang, semasiology, sematic, sematology, semblable
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for semaphore
British Dictionary definitions for semaphore
semaphore
/ (ˈsɛməˌfɔː) /
noun
an apparatus for conveying information by means of visual signals, as with movable arms or railway signals, flags, etc
a system of signalling by holding a flag in each hand and moving the arms to designated positions to denote each letter of the alphabet
verb
to signal (information) by means of semaphore
Derived forms of semaphore
semaphoric (ˌsɛməˈfɒrɪk) or semaphorical, adjectivesemaphorically, adverbWord Origin for semaphore
C19: via French, from Greek sēma a signal + -phore
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