signifier
Americannoun
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a person or thing that signifies.
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Semiotics. something, such as an arrangement of sounds or symbols, an object, or an action, which constitutes a pattern or unit, and which communicates meaning.
Etymology
Origin of signifier
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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.
And while those in the highest income range are more likely to be optimistic, being middle income or having a bachelor’s degree isn’t much of a signifier of optimism or pessimism.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
A statement from trust said it had already implemented a programme of "signifier change".
From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026
Connolly is a fluent speaker and booster of the Irish language, which became a surprisingly important signifier in the race, as Humphreys “has no Irish,” to use the vernacular.
From Salon • Oct. 28, 2025
It’s a reminder that De Niro’s presence — as an actor and signifier of the gangster movie — looms so large that only he could play the iconic roles of Costello and Genovese.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2025
With every step on those cracked sidewalks, I passed a new signifier of urban decay.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
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.
