Synonyms for symbol

16 synonyms

noun

Most common

sign icon token emblem cipher symbolization

All synonyms

Noun

emblem, sign, icon, token, mark, type, character, figure, cipher, cypher UK, attribute, representative, exemplar, device, note, symbolization, symbolisation UK, prefigurement rare

Definitions

n. 1
A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
Chinese people use word symbols for writing.

Related words

Word family: symbolatry symbolization symbololatry symbolic symbolize symbolism
Phrases: at symbol stock ticker symbol currency symbol numero symbol peace symbol stock symbol symbol table ticker symbol

Forms

Plural: symbols → emblems, signs, icons, tokens…

Choose the right word

Symbol, Emblem, Emblems or Symbols?

Thus an emblem resembles, a symbol represents. A symbol may be also an emblem; thus the elements of bread and wine in the Lord's Supper are both appropriate emblems and his own chosen symbols of suffering and death.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

sign He was made to sign the contract against his will.
icon The icon had a gold aureole on both Mary and Jesus.
token Take this ring as a token of my love and fidelity.
emblem The royal emblem was engraved upon the invitation.
cipher My best guess is it needs an asymmetric cipher.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
symbol		rising
sign		rising
icon		rising
token		steady
emblem		steady
cipher		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

4 letters: type¹, sign¹, mark¹, note¹, icon²
5 letters: token²
6 letters: figure², device², emblem², cipher², cypher²
8 letters: exemplar³
9 letters: character³, attribute³
13 letters: symbolization, symbolisation, prefigurement
14 letters: representative⁵

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (icon² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: symbole
Italiano: simbolo
Español: símbolo
Deutsch: Symbol
Català: símbol