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Signal vs Significant - What's the difference?

signal | significant |

As nouns the difference between signal and significant

is that signal is signal while significant is that which has significance; a sign; a token; a symbol.

As an adjective significant is

signifying something; carrying meaning.

signal

English

(wikipedia signal)

Alternative forms

* signall

Noun

(en noun)
  • A sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.
  • * Milton
    • All obeyed / The wonted signal and superior voice / Of this great potentate.
  • An on-off light, semaphore, or other device used to give an indication to another person.
  • (of a radio, TV, telephone, internet, etc) An electrical or electromagnetic action, normally a voltage that is a function of time that conveys the information of the radio or TV program or of communication with another party.
    • My mobile phone can't get a signal in the railway station.
  • A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The weary sun / Gives signal of a goodly day to-morrow.
  • * De Foe
    • There was not the least signal of the calamity to be seen.
  • Useful information, as opposed to noise.
  • (computing, Unix) A simple interprocess communication used to notify a process or thread of an occurrence.

    • Antonyms

    * (useful information) noise

    Derived terms

    * signal box * signalman * signalwoman * smoke signal

    See also

    * tocsin

    Verb

  • To indicate.

    • Adjective

    (-)
  • Standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.
    • a signal''' exploit; a '''signal''' service; a '''signal act of benevolence
  • * Milton
    • As signal now in low, dejected state / As erst in highest, behold him where he lies.

    Related terms

    * (adjective)

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    significant

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Signifying something; carrying meaning.
    • a significant''' word or sound; a '''significant look
  • * Sir Walter Raleigh
    • It was well said of Plotinus, that the stars were significant , but not efficient.
  • Having a covert or hidden meaning.
  • Having a noticeable or major effect; notable.
    • That was a significant step in the right direction.
    The First World War was a significant event.
  • Reasonably large in number or amount.
  • (statistics) Having a low probability of occurring by chance (for example, having high correlation and thus likely to be related).

    • Related terms

    * significance * significant other * signify

    Synonyms

    * important

    Antonyms

    * insignificant * ignorable * negligible * slight

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • That which has significance; a sign; a token; a symbol.
    • (Wordsworth)
  • * Shakespeare
    • In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts.
    (Webster 1913) ----