Symbol vs Token - What's the difference?
symbol | token |
A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
Any object, typically material, which is meant to represent another (usually abstract) even if there is no meaningful relationship.
(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.
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
Share; allotment.
* Jeremy Taylor
To symbolize.
Something serving as an expression of something else; sign, symbol
A keepsake, momento, souvenir
A piece of stamped metal used as a substitute for money; a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services
(obsolete, sometimes, figurative) Evidence, proof; a confirming detail; physical trace, mark, footprint.
* Shakespeare
Support for a belief; grounds for an opinion; reason, reasoning, witcraft (see usage)
An extraordinary event serving as evidence of supernatural power, a miracle
An object or disclosure to attest or authenticate the bearer or an instruction; a password
A seal guaranteeing the quality of an item.
Something given or shown as a symbol or guarantee of authority or right; a sign of authenticity, of power, good faith.
* (rfdate) (Shakespeare)
A tally
(philosophy) A particular thing to which a concept applies.
(computing) An atomic piece of data, such as a word, for which a meaning may be inferred during parsing. Also called a symbol.
* 2004 , Randall Hyde, Write Great Code: Understanding the Machine , page 68
(computing) A conceptual object that can be possessed by a computer, process, etc. in order to regulate a turn-taking system such as a token ring network.
(grammar) A lexeme; a basic, grammatically indivisible unit of a language such as a keyword, operator or identifier.
(medical) A characteristic sign of a disease or of a bodily disorder, a symptom; a sign of a bodily condition, recovery, or health.
(medical, obsolete) A livid spot upon the body, indicating, or supposed to indicate, the approach of death.
* (rfdate)'' (Beaumont and Fletcher)
(printing) Ten and a half quires, or, commonly, 250 sheets, of paper printed on both sides; also, in some cases, the same number of sheets printed on one side, or half the number printed on both sides.
(mining) A bit of leather having a peculiar mark designating a particular miner. Each hewer sends one of these with each corf or tub he has hewn.
(mining) A thin bed of coal indicating the existence of a thicker seam at no great distance.
(rail transport) A physical object used for exchange between drivers and signalmen on single track lines.
(weaving) In a loom, a colored signal to show the weaver which shuttle to use.
(Church of Scotland) A piece of metal given beforehand to each person in the congregation who is permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper.
Done as an indication or a pledge; perfunctory, minimal or merely symbolic.
* 1927 , , Money and Monetary Policy in Early Times , page 393
* 2000 , Cheris Kramarae, Dale Spender, Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women , Page 176
* 2008 , Adrian Blomfield, ,
a minor attempt for appearance sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement
* he was hired as the company's token black
* ''the television show was primarily directed toward a negro audience, but it did have a few token whites as performers
To betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote
* 1962' (quoting '''c. 1398 text), (Hans Kurath) & Sherman M. Kuhn, eds., ''(Middle English Dictionary) , Ann Arbor, Mich.: (University of Michigan Press), , page 1242:
To betroth
(philosophy) To symbolize, instantiate
* {{quote-journal, 2008, date=August 27, Mikkel Gerken, Is There a Simple Argument for Higher-Order Representation Theories of Awareness Consciousness?, Erkenntnis, url=, doi=10.1007/s10670-008-9116-z, volume=69, issue=2, pages=
, passage=In which sense does ‘?p ~(p & ~p)’ cause the tokening of the belief in the subject? }}
Token is a synonym of symbol.
As nouns the difference between symbol and token
is that symbol is a character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object while token is something serving as an expression of something else; sign, symbol.As verbs the difference between symbol and token
is that symbol is to symbolize while token is to betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote.As an adjective token is
done as an indication or a pledge; perfunctory, minimal or merely symbolic.symbol
English
Noun
(en noun)- $ 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.
- The dollar symbol has no relationship to the concept of currency or any related idea.
- The Apostles, Nicene Creed and the confessional books of Protestantism, such as the Augsburg Confession of Lutheranism are considered symbols .
- They do their work in the days of peace and come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague.
- The persons who are to be judged shall all appear to receive their symbol .
Derived terms
* status symbol * typographical symbolVerb
- (Tennyson)
See also
* punctuationExternal links
* * ----token
English
(wikipedia token)Noun
(en noun)- According to the Bible, the rainbow is a token of God's covenant with Noah.
- Please accept this bustier as a token of our time together.
- Subway tokens are being replaced by magnetic cards.
- A book token is the easiest option for a Christmas gift.
- Say, by this token , I desire his company.
- Say, by this token , I desire his company.
- For each lexeme, the scanner creates a small data package known as a token and passes this data package on to the parser.
- Like the fearful tokens of the plague, Are mere forerunners of their ends.
Synonyms
* (something serving as an expression of something else) sign, symbol * (atomic piece of data) symbolDerived terms
* by the same token * by that token — by that reason * in token of — on account of; because of, as an indication of * tokenism * tokenization * token ringSee also
* (philosophy) particular, universal, typeAdjective
(en adjective)- He made a token tap on the brake pedal at the stop sign.
- If the as had been reduced to a token in 240 BC, it was now a little more token than before.
- There are still many churches where the participation of women is token .
Has Russia got a new Stalin?, March 31, 2008
- Just to be on the safe side, the The Kremlin has also banned any of Putin’s serious critics from standing. Three unelectable misfits have been allowed to mount token challenges.
Derived terms
* tokenish * tokenistic * tokenless * tokenlikeVerb
(en verb)- dorr?&
- 773;', '''d?r?''' adj. & n.