6 definitions found From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]: Symbol \Sym"bol\ (s[i^]m"b[o^]l), noun [L. symbolus, symbolum, Gr. sy'mbolon a sign by which one knows or infers a thing, from symba'llein to throw or put together, to compare; sy'n with + ba'llein to throw: cf. F. symbole. Cf. {Emblem}, {Parable}.] 1. A visible sign or representation of an idea; anything which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by resemblance or by convention; an emblem; a representation; a type; a figure; as, the lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience. A symbol is a sign included in the idea which it represents, e. g., an actual part chosen to represent the whole, or a lower form or species used as the representative of a higher in the same kind. --Coleridge. 2. (Math.) Any character used to represent a quantity, an operation, a relation, or an abbreviation. Note: In crystallography, the symbol of a plane is the numerical expression which defines its position relatively to the assumed axes. 3. (Theol.) An abstract or compendium of faith or doctrine; a creed, or a summary of the articles of religion. 4. [Gr. ? contributions.] That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty. [Obs.] They do their work in the days of peace . . . and come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague. --Jer. Taylor. 5. Share; allotment. [Obs.] The persons who are to be judged . . . shall all appear to receive their symbol. --Jer. Taylor. 6. (Chem.) An abbreviation standing for the name of an element and consisting of the initial letter of the Latin or New Latin name, or sometimes of the initial letter with a following one; as, {C} for carbon, {Na} for sodium (Natrium), {Fe} for iron (Ferrum), {Sn} for tin (Stannum), {Sb} for antimony (Stibium), etc. See the list of names and symbols under {Element}. Note: In pure and organic chemistry there are symbols not only for the elements, but also for their grouping in formulas, radicals, or residues, as evidenced by their composition, reactions, synthesis, etc. See the diagram of {Benzene nucleus}, under {Benzene}. Syn: Emblem; figure; type. See {Emblem}. From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]: Symbol \Sym"bol\, verb (used with an object) To symbolize. [R.] --Tennyson. From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]: symbol noun 1: an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance 2: something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible; "the eagle is a symbol of the United States" [syn: {symbolization}, {symbolisation}, {symbolic representation}] [also: {symbolling}, {symbolled}] From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]: 272 Moby Thesaurus words for "symbol": abbreviation, accent, accent mark, acronym, agent, allegory, alphabet, alphabetic character, alternate, alternative, analogy, armory, arms, art, attribute, backup, badge, badge of office, badges, banner, bar, baton, bearing, binary digit, bit, blazonry, blueprint, brand, brassard, button, cancel, cap and gown, case, case in point, chain, chain of office, change, changeling, character, charactering, characterization, charactery, chart, choreography, cipher, class ring, coat of arms, cockade, code, collar, colophon, comparison, conventional representation, conventional symbol, copy, counterfeit, crest, cross, cryptogram, custos, dance notation, decoration, delineation, demonstration, depiction, depictment, deputy, design, device, diagram, digit, direct, dot, double, drama, drawing, dress, dummy, eagle, emblem, emblems, ensigns, equal, equivalent, ersatz, escutcheon, example, exchange, exemplar, exemplification, explanation, exponent, expression mark, fake, fasces, father symbol, fermata, fertility symbol, figuration, figure, figurehead, fill-in, flag, fleur-de-lis, ghost, ghostwriter, glosseme, graph, grapheme, hammer and sickle, heraldry, hieroglyphic, hold, icon, iconography, iconology, ideogram, illustration, image, imagery, imaging, imitation, indication, initialism, insignia, instance, key signature, lapel pin, lead, letter, lexeme, lexical form, lexigraphic character, ligature, limning, livery, locum tenens, logo, logogram, logograph, logotype, love knot, mace, makeshift, mantle, map, mark, markings, measure, medal, metaphor, metonymy, metronomic mark, monogram, morpheme, mortarboard, mother symbol, motif, musical notation, next best thing, notation, note, number, numeral, numero, object lesson, old school tie, password, pattern, pause, pennant, personnel, phallic symbol, phonetic character, phonetic symbol, phony, phrase, pictogram, pictographic character, picturization, pin, pinch hitter, plan, portraiture, portrayal, prefigurement, presa, presentment, printing, projection, proxy, realization, regalia, relevant instance, relief, rendering, rendition, replacement, representation, representative, reserves, ring, ringer, rose, schema, school ring, score, script, second string, secondary, segno, semasiological unit, sememe, shamrock, shibboleth, sigillography, sign, signature, signifiant, significant, skull and crossbones, slur, spares, sphragistics, staff, stamp, stand-in, standard, sub, substituent, substitute, substitution, succedaneum, superseder, supplanter, surrogate, swastika, swell, syllabary, syllabic, symbolic system, symbolism, symbolization, symbology, synecdoche, tablature, tartan, tempo mark, term, third string, thistle, tie, time signature, token, totem, totem pole, type, typical example, understudy, uniform, universal symbol, utility player, verge, vicar, vice-president, vice-regent, vinculum, wand, watchword, word, writing, written character From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]: SYMBOL, noun Something that is supposed to typify or stand for something else. Many symbols are mere "survivals" -- things which having no longer any utility continue to exist because we have inherited the tendency to make them; as funereal urns carved on memorial monuments. They were once real urns holding the ashes of the dead. We cannot stop making them, but we can give them a name that conceals our helplessness. From U.S. Gazetteer (1990) [gazetteer]: Symbol, KY Zip code(s): 40729

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