signified

Thân thiện

A dictionary entry shows the signified of a word.

Definition

Noun: 1. The concept or meaning represented by a sign (such as a word, symbol, or image); the mental idea or thing in the world that a signifier points to. In linguistics and semiotics, the "signified" is the abstract concept or the actual object that a word or symbol (the "signifier") refers to. It is the meaning itself, separate from the form used to express it.

Usage

The term "signified" is primarily used in academic, linguistic, and philosophical contexts to analyze how meaning is created. It is almost always discussed in relation to its counterpart, the "signifier." Together, they form a "sign."

Examples

• In the word "tree," the signified is the mental concept of a large plant with a trunk and branches, not the physical object itself nor the letters T-R-E-E.
• A red traffic light is a signifier; the signified is the concept or instruction to "stop."
• The relationship between the signifier (the sound/word "cat") and the signified (the concept of a small, furry, domesticated feline) is arbitrary and based on cultural agreement.

Advanced Usage

• In Semiotics: The study of signs, where the signified is a fundamental component. The signified is not a real-world object but the of that object.
• Distinction from Reference: The signified is the concept, while the "referent" is the actual physical object in the world. For example, the word "Eiffel Tower" has a signified (the concept of the Parisian landmark) and a referent (the actual iron structure in Paris).

Variants and Related Words

• Signifier (noun): The physical form of a sign (e.g., the spoken sound, written word, or image) that carries the meaning.
• Sign (noun): The complete unit formed by the union of a signifier and a signified.
• Signification (noun): The process or result of conveying meaning; what is signified.

Synonyms

• Concept
• Meaning
• Sense (as in one sense of a word)
• Denotation (in its core, literal sense)

Related Terms and Concepts

• Denotation: The literal, primary meaning of a word, closely related to the signified.
• Connotation: The emotional or cultural associations attached to a word, which go beyond its basic signified meaning.

Học thuật

Noun

1. the meaning of a word or expression; the way in which a word or expression or situation can be interpreted
   • the dictionary gave several senses for the word
   • in the best sense charity is really a duty
   • the signifier is linked to the signified

Từ đồng nghĩa

• sense