symbolism
Americannoun
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the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character.
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a set or system of symbols.
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symbolic meaning or character.
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the principles and practice of symbolists in art or literature.
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(initial capital letter) a movement of the late 19th century in French art and literature.
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the use of any of certain special figures or marks of identification to signify a religious message or divine being, as the cross for Christ and the Christian faith.
noun
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the representation of something in symbolic form or the attribution of symbolic meaning or character to something
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a system of symbols or symbolic representation
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a symbolic significance or quality
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(often capital) a late 19th-century movement in art that sought to express mystical or abstract ideas through the symbolic use of images See also synthetism
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theol any symbolist interpretation of the Eucharist
Etymology
Origin of symbolism
Explanation
When you come across objects in a painting or story that stand for a concept, the artist or author is using symbolism to convey ideas. If a particular object keeps popping up at key points in a story, chances are the author is using symbolism to convey an idea or emotion. In Aesop's fable "The Fox and the Grapes," the grapes symbolize things too difficult for someone to attain or achieve. Sometimes people use symbolism in real life. If the President meets a dignitary in the Oval Office, the symbolism of the location says, "I take you especially seriously."
Vocabulary lists containing symbolism
Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Introductory
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Poetry: Literary Devices
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The AP English Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms 3
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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.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia joined throngs of devotees waving Spanish and Vatican flags in Cibeles Square for a service filled with religious symbolism.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The symbolism, like the scar Daphne has from the car accident, is clear and obvious.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
The symbolism of doing “Walküre” is, for Dudamel, unmistakable.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Coverage from the event highlighted patriotic imagery, Christian iconography and large displays combining crosses, American symbolism and references to the country’s founding.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
“Really? Huh. Here I was looking for symbolism and metaphors and, um . . . sometimes a duck is just a duck!”
From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio
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.
