What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Symbol vs Unit - What's the difference?

symbol | unit |

As nouns the difference between symbol and unit

is that symbol is a character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object while unit is a standard measure of a quantity.

As a verb symbol

is to symbolize.

As an adjective unit is

for each unit.

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

    Related terms

    * symbolic * symbolize * symbolism

    Verb

  • To symbolize.
    • (Tennyson)

    See also

    * punctuation

    External links

    * * ----

    unit

    English

    (Unit)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sciences) A standard measure of a quantity.
    • The centimetre is a unit of length.
  • The number one.
    • This pill provides 500 units of Vitamin E.
  • An organized group comprising people and/or equipment.
    • He was a member of a special police unit .
  • (military, informal) A member of a military organization.
    • The fifth tank brigade moved in with 20 units .'' (''i.e., 20 tanks )
  • (US, military) Any military element whose structure is prescribed by competent authority, such as a table of organization and equipment; specifically, part of an organizationJoint Publication 1-02 U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms; 12 April 2001 (As Amended Through 14 April 2006). .
  • (US, military) An organization title of a subdivision of a group in a task force.
  • (US, military) A standard or basic quantity into which an item of supply is divided, issued or used. In this meaning, also called unit of issue.
  • (US, military) With regard to Reserve Components of the Armed Forces, denotes a Selected Reserve unit organized, equipped, and trained for mobilization to serve on active duty as a unit or to augment or be augmented by another unit. Headquarters and support functions without wartime missions are not considered units.
  • (algebra) An element of a ring having a multiplicative inverse. (Formerly just the identity element 1R of a ring.)
  • (geology) A volume of rock or ice of identifiable origin and age range that is defined by the distinctive and dominant, easily mapped and recognizable petrographic, lithologic or paleontologic features (facies) that characterize it.
  • (commerce) An item which may be sold singly.
    • We shipped nearly twice as many units this month as last month.
  • (UK, electricity) One kilowatt-hour (as recorded on an electricity meter).
  • (Australia, New Zealand) a measure of housing equivalent to the living quarters of one household, an apartment where a group of apartments is contained in one or more multi-storied buildings or a group of dwellings is in one or more single storey buildings, usually arranged around a driveway.
  • (historical) A gold coin of the reign of James I, worth twenty shillings.
    • (Camden)

    Synonyms

    * (identity element) identity element, unit element

    Adjective

    (-)
  • For each unit.
    • We have to keep our unit costs down if we want to make a profit.
  • (mathematics) Having a size or magnitude of one.
  • * 1990 , William W. S. Wei, Time Series Analysis , ISBN 0201159112, page 9:
    • Consider the following time sequence
  • *:: Z_t=A\sin(\omega t+\theta),
    • where A is a random variable with a zero mean and a unit variance and \theta is a random variable with a uniform distribution on the interval [-\pi,\pi] independent of A.

    Derived terms

    * construction unit * tractor unit * unit aircraft * unitality * unit cost * unit combat readiness * unit commitment status * unit designation list

    References

    External links

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----