signified

[sig-nuh-fahyd]

noun

Semiotics.

1. the thing or concept denoted by an arrangement of sounds or symbols, an object, an action, etc., which constitutes a pattern or unit, and which communicates meaning.

Word History and Origins

Origin of signified¹

First recorded in 1630–40; signify + -ed ²

Example Sentences

That moment in Northampton signified how far not only Hele has come, but South African women's rugby as a whole.

From BBC

It signified a rare shift in transfer policy.

From BBC

He said the tattoos signified his affection for his family, not evidence of affiliation with a gang.

From Salon

The Walt Disney Co. may not cherish this moment, but it signified the way Disneyland had penetrated the American psyche as a representation for our values.

From Los Angeles Times

In fact, what he has said is that the proliferation of billionaires in America, and the unrelenting growth in their fortunes over the last decades, signified a broken economic system.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• hidden 
• implicit 
• indirect 
• latent 
• lurking 
• tacit 
• unspoken