Standard Lemma guide

signifier

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪɚ/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Something or someone that signifies, makes something more significant or important.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something or someone that signifies, makes something more significant or important.

A card representing a querent, question, or situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: cartomancy, human-sciences, mysticism, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A sign, such as a written or spoken word, which refers to some concept, object or person, the signified.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the inflected forms of a word can be represented by a stem and a list of inflections to be attached

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: form, word form, descriptor

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: word

Narrower terms: plural, plural form, singular, singular form, ghost word, root, root word, base, stem, theme, radical, etymon, citation form, main entry word, entry word, abbreviation, acronym

History

Etymology

From signify + -er.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: merkityksen antaja — something or someone that signifies, makes something more significant or important
  • Chinese Mandarin: 能指 (néngzhǐ) — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • Czech: signifikant — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • Finnish: merkitsin — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • French: signifiant — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • German: Signifikant — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • Japanese: 能記 (nōki) — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • Japanese: シニフィアン (shinifian) — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • Kashmiri: اِشارٕ ہاوَکھ (iśārụ hāvakh) — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • Russian: означа́ющее (označájuščeje) — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign
  • Spanish: significante — (linguistics) the sound of spoken word or string of letters on a page that a person recognizes as a sign