The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. The theory and study of signs and symbols, especially as elements of language or other systems of communication, and comprising semantics, syntactics, and pragmatics.
n. The study of signs and symbols, especially as means of language or communication.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. Same as semeiotics.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. The doctrine or science of signs; the language of signs.
n. 2. Specifically, that branch of pathology which is concerned with the significance of all symptoms in the human body, whether healthy or diseased; symptomatology; semiology.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. (philosophy) a philosophical theory of the functions of signs and symbols
Word Usage
"Recommended if … you majored in semiotics at Brown or Finnegans Wake is your favorite book."