Significato

Significato is the Italian noun that denotes meaning or significance. In everyday language it refers to what a word, phrase, or symbol conveys to a listener or reader. In linguistics and semiotics, significato designates the content or concept associated with a linguistic sign, independently of its phonetic form or graphic representation.

Etymology traces significato to the Latin significatus, past participle of significare, meaning “to indicate, to signify.” The term has long been used in philosophy of language and in linguistic theory to distinguish what a sign expresses from how it is expressed.

In linguistic analysis, significato is often distinguished from significante, the physical form of the sign (the sound pattern or written graphic). Together, sign and significato constitute the basic pair studied in semiotics and semiolinguistics. The word can also refer to denotative versus connotative meanings, where the denotato is the explicit reference and the connotato encompasses associated or emotional overtones.

In broader usage, significato can denote importance or significance of an event, object, or statement. For example, a decision may have scientific or social significato, a painting may carry allegorical significato, or a text may reveal multiple levels of significato upon close reading.

In Italian, the concept is central to discussions of interpretation, meaning-making, and communication. It intersects with related terms such as senso, riferimento, and significanza, each highlighting different aspects of how signs convey understanding.