symbol

Meanings

1. A sign, image or object that stands for something else, often an idea or quality.
2. A letter, character or mark with a fixed meaning, such as in math or chemistry.

Example sentences

• "The olive branch is a symbol of peace."

  Level B1, Meaning 1

• "The ring is a symbol of their promise."

  Level B1, Meaning 1

• "The chemical symbol for gold is Au."

  Level B1, Meaning 2

• "The flag became a symbol of the nation's pride."

  Level B1, Meaning 1

Synonyms and antonyms

Look-alikes and common mistakes

• cymbal : A cymbal is a round brass plate that musicians crash together. It sounds the same but is spelled differently.
• sign : A sign points to something directly, such as a road sign. A symbol suggests a deeper idea.

Word family and forms

Forms: symbols

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "symbol".

• a symbol of
• national symbol
• chemical symbol
• status symbol
• cultural symbol
• a powerful symbol

Origin

Symbol came into English in the 1400s from Latin symbolum, which took it from Greek symbolon, a sign or token. The Greek word joins sym-, meaning together, with a root meaning a throw, so it began with the idea of putting things together to make a sign.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.

Usage notes

"Symbol" is also a key term in literature, where an object in a story can carry meaning far beyond its literal use.

How to remember it

Symbol and cymbal sound alike. A cymbal crashes, and a symbol speaks without a sound.

Test yourself

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