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Symbol vs Represent - What's the difference?

symbol | represent |

As verbs the difference between symbol and represent

is that symbol is to symbolize while represent is to present again or anew; to present by means of something standing in the place of; to exhibit the counterpart or image of; to typify.

As a noun symbol

is a character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.

symbol

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
  • $ is the symbol for dollars in the US and some other countries.
    '
  • ' is the octothorpe symbol .
  • ''Chinese people use word symbols for writing.
    The lion is the symbol''' of courage; the lamb is the '''symbol of meekness or patience.
  • Any object, typically material, which is meant to represent another (usually abstract) even if there is no meaningful relationship.
  • The dollar symbol has no relationship to the concept of currency or any related idea.
  • (linguistics) A type of noun whereby the form refers to the same entity independently of the context; a symbol arbitrarily denotes a referent. See also icon and index.
  • A summary of a dogmatic statement of faith.
  • The Apostles, Nicene Creed and the confessional books of Protestantism, such as the Augsburg Confession of Lutheranism are considered symbols .
  • Visible traces or impressions, made using a writing device or tool, that are connected together and/or are slightly separated. Sometimes symbols represent objects or events that occupy space or things that are not physical and do not occupy space.
  • (crystallography) The numerical expression which defines a plane's position relative to the assumed axes.
  • That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • They do their work in the days of peace and come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague.
  • Share; allotment.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
  • The persons who are to be judged shall all appear to receive their symbol .

    Derived terms

    * status symbol * typographical symbol

    Verb

  • To symbolize.
  • (Tennyson)

    See also

    * punctuation

    represent

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To present again or anew; to present by means of something standing in the place of; to exhibit the counterpart or image of; to typify.
  • To portray by pictorial or plastic art; to delineate; as, to represent a landscape in a picture, a horse in bronze, and the like.
  • To portray by mimicry or action of any kind; to act the part or character of; to personate; as, to represent Hamlet.
  • To stand in the place of; to supply the place, perform the duties, exercise the rights, or receive the share, of; to speak and act with authority in behalf of; to act the part of (another); as, an heir represents his ancestor; an attorney represents his client in court; a member of Congress represents his district in Congress.
  • To exhibit to another mind in language; to show; to give one's own impressions and judgement of; to bring before the mind; to set forth; sometimes, to give an account of; to describe.
  • He represented that he was investigating for the police department.
  • To serve as a sign or symbol of; as, mathematical symbols represent quantities or relations; words represent ideas or things.
  • To bring a sensation of into the mind or sensorium; to cause to be known, felt, or apprehended; to present.
  • To form or image again in consciousness, as an object of cognition or apprehension (something presentative, which was originally apprehended by direct presentation).
  • (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    *