What does signify mean?
To signify is to mean, represent, or indicate something. A person or event may signify that a particular condition exists: gathering clouds can signify rain, while an unusually quiet office may signify tension. The verb can also mean “to amount to,” especially in statements about importance or practical effect, such as “a minor adjustment does not signify much.” It is most common in formal writing, including journalism, academic prose, legal argument, and official announcements, although its use in ordinary speech is equally intelligible. Signify is related in origin to “sign” and “signal,” and all three words share the idea of communicating or pointing toward meaning. Compared with “mean,” “signify” often has a more formal, deliberate, and consequential tone. Compared with “indicate,” it can place greater emphasis on what a sign or action represents rather than simply pointing to evidence. It is particularly useful when describing signs, symbols, and actions that carry an implicit or explicit message.
verbTo mean or indicate something; to be a sign that something exists or is the case.
- To mean or represent something.
- To indicate or serve as evidence that something exists or is the case.
- To have a particular importance or significance.
"The unusually quiet morning signified that the storm would soon arrive."
"Dark clouds on the horizon signify an approaching storm."
"The director refused to comment, though her silence seemed to signify disapproval."
Signify originally meant “to make a sign”: it literally describes how a symbol communicates an idea.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of signify
The verb dates from the late Middle English period and entered English through Old French from Latin significare, “to mean, indicate, or denote.” The Latin word combined signum, “a sign or mark,” with facere, “to make or do,” giving it the literal sense “to make a sign.” It is closely related to English words such as “sign,” “signal,” “significant,” and “significance,” which also reflect Latin signum and the idea of indicating or expressing meaning.
Related word forms
How signify is actually used
Signify is a formal verb common in academic, legal, and professional writing. It often means “to indicate” and can suggest that something is important or meaningful. In some contexts it means “to amount to,” as in “this does not signify any real change.”
Easily confused with signify
A sign is a symbol or physical indication, whereas to signify means to represent, indicate, or mean something.