symbolic

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /sɪmˈbɑːlɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #11619

Meanings

1

adj
Standing for or representing something else, often an idea or feeling.

Lighting the candle was a symbolic act of remembrance.
2

adj
Using symbols or full of symbolism.

The painting is rich in symbolic detail.
3

adj
Done as a gesture rather than for any real, practical effect.

The small fine was a symbolic punishment more than a serious one.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · standing for or... emblematic

2 adj · using symbols or full of... symbolical

Word family

Forms symbolical

Derived forms antisymbolicasymbolicconcolicmultisymbolicneurosymbolicnonsymbolicpostsymbolicpresymbolicshambolicsociosymbolicsound-symbolicsubsymbolic

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

symbolic logic
the study of reasoning through symbols representing the forms of statements

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From French symbolique or directly from Latin symbolicus, from Ancient Greek συμβολικός (sumbolikós, “of or belonging to a symbol”), equivalent to symbol + -ic.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# symbolic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /sɪmˈbɑːlɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 11619

## Meanings
1. Standing for or representing something else, often an idea or feeling.
2. Using symbols or full of symbolism.
3. Done as a gesture rather than for any real, practical effect.

## Examples
- Lighting the candle was a symbolic act of remembrance.
- The painting is rich in symbolic detail.
- The small fine was a symbolic punishment more than a serious one.

## Derived Forms
- antisymbolic
- asymbolic
- concolic
- multisymbolic
- neurosymbolic
- nonsymbolic
- postsymbolic
- presymbolic
- shambolic
- sociosymbolic
- sound-symbolic
- subsymbolic

## Etymology
From French symbolique or directly from Latin symbolicus, from Ancient Greek συμβολικός (sumbolikós, “of or belonging to a symbol”), equivalent to symbol + -ic.

## AI Etymology
Symbolic is from French symbolique or directly from Latin symbolicus, from Ancient Greek συμβολικός (sumbolikós, “of or belonging to a symbol”), equivalent to symbol + -ic. In present-day use, it can mean standing for or representing something else, often an idea or feeling, or using symbols or full of symbolism. Derived formations include antisymbolic, asymbolic, concolic, multisymbolic, neurosymbolic.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

markdown