symbol

«symbol» in Mova's school dictionary: a sign, shape or picture that stands for something else:… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (symbol, symbols)

meaning for a pupil

1) A symbol is a sign, shape or picture that stands for something else: + means add, a red heart means love. tree →

2) A symbol can be an object or idea that represents something bigger: the dove is a symbol of peace. tree →

3) In science, a chemical symbol is the short letter name for an element: O for oxygen. tree →

sense in the lessons

In maths, symbols are everywhere: +, −, ×, ÷, =, <, >, %, π, and letters standing for unknown numbers. In science, chemical symbols (H, O, Fe) and map symbols; in geography, map keys explain symbols (a cross for a church, blue lines for rivers). In safety, warning symbols show danger: a skull for poison, a flame for flammable, a lightning bolt for electricity. In stories, symbols carry hidden meaning. Phrases: a symbol of, stands for, map symbol, chemical symbol, warning symbol.

examples

• The symbol + means add. tree →
• The < symbol means «less than»: 3 < 5. tree →
• On the map, a blue P is the symbol for parking. tree →
• A skull and crossbones is a symbol for poison. tree →
• The dove is a symbol of peace. tree →
• The chemical symbol for gold is Au. tree →
• The maple leaf is a symbol of Canada. tree →
• Look at the key to find out what each symbol means. tree →
• Thus running up the hillside, his teeth chattering all the way, he drew near to Inyan, the sacred symbol. tree →

note

Countable: symbols. Do not confuse with «cymbal», a brass musical instrument — they sound the same. Maths trap: the small end of < or > points to the smaller number. Adjective: symbolic; verb: symbolise (UK) / symbolize (US).

In the corpora

• Warning symbols on bottles show if a product is corrosive, toxic, flammable or harmful.
• Warning signs on a bottle, like a hazard symbol, mean the product can harm you.
• The sunflower is Ukraine's national flower and became a symbol of support and hope around the world.
• The dove and the olive branch became symbols of peace and new beginnings.
• The cross was once a cruel Roman punishment and became the main Christian symbol of love and hope.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «symbol» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.