signifier

noun

sig·​ni·​fi·​er ˈsig-nə-ˌfī(-ə)r 

1

: one that signifies

2

: a symbol, sound, or image (such as a word) that represents an underlying concept or meaning compare signified

Examples of signifier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Without it, this ongoing mental strain could easily have led to feelings of exhaustion, stress, and burnout—all signifiers of PPD. —Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 1 May 2025

Experts have said nothing in the photograph is a known signifier of MS-13, and that members of the gang frequently use actual letters rather than symbols. —Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025

The anime auteur responsible for Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo has been rewriting the rules of anime music since the ’90s, subverting tropes, reimagining genres, and weaving together disparate signifiers from the past and future to tell deeply affecting stories that speak to our present. —Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025

But only a handful of these videos are using these era signifiers to say anything about the music. —Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for signifier

• amplifier
• clarifier
• classifier
• gasifier
• magnifier
• modifier
• multiplier
• occupier
• pacifier
• purifier
• qualifier
• quantifier