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Symbolic vs Signify - What's the difference?

symbolic | signify |

As an adjective symbolic

is pertaining to a symbol.

As a verb signify is

to give (something) a meaning or an importance.

symbolic

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Pertaining to a symbol.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
    • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […].  Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures.}}
  • Referring to something with an implicit meaning.

    • Derived terms

    * symbolical * symbolically * symbolics

    Related terms

    * symbol * symbolisation Br. * symbolise Br. * symbolistic * symbolization * symbolize * symbolism * symbolist * symbology * symbolology

    signify

    English

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To give (something) a meaning or an importance.
  • To show one’s intentions with a sign etc.
  • * (rfdate) (William Shakespeare)
    • I'll to the king; and signify to him / That thus I have resign'd my charge to you.
  • * (rfdate) (Jonathan Swift)
    • The government should signify to the Protestants of Ireland that want of silver is not to be remedied.
  • To mean; to betoken.
  • * (rfdate) (William Shakespeare)
    • A tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.

    Synonyms

    * (l) * (l)