sign

A traffic sign

Meanings

Noun

  • A perceptible (e.g. visible) indication.
  • Physical evidence left by an animal.
  • A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.
  • A wonder; miracle; prodigy.
  • An astrological sign.
  • Positive or negative polarity, as denoted by the + or - sign.
  • A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.
  • Sign language in general.
  • A semantic unit, something that conveys meaning or information (e.g. a word of written language); a unit consisting of a signifier and a signified concept.
  • An omen.
  • A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, is unlikely to be noticed by the patient.
  • A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.

Verb

  • To make a mark
  • To make the sign of the cross
  • To indicate
  • To determine the sign of

Origin

  • From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn and Old French signe, seing; both from Latin signum; root uncertain. signum. Partially displaced native token.
  • From Middle English signen, seinen, seinien, partly from Old English seġnian and partly from Anglo-Norman en, seiner et al., Old French signer et al., and their source Latin signare ("to mark, seal, indicate, signify"); all from Latin signum ("a mark, sign"); see Etymology 1, above. Compare sain.

Modern English dictionary

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