Symbol

A symbol is something that stands for or represents something else, typically an idea, object, person, or process, through conventional association rather than direct resemblance. Symbols gain meaning through social agreement, cultural context, or formal rules, allowing communication and representation beyond their literal form. The word symbol derives from Latin symbolum and Greek symbólin, meaning a sign or token.

In semiotics, a symbol is a type of sign whose relation to its referent is arbitrary or conventional, as opposed to an icon, which resembles what it represents, or an index, which is causally connected to it. Symbolic signs rely on shared conventions and learned associations.

Symbols appear across domains. In language, letters and numerals are symbols that stand for sounds or values. In culture, flags, emblems, and religious icons symbolize nations, identities, or beliefs. In mathematics and science, symbols denote quantities, operations, relations, and structures. In computing, symbols serve as tokens parsed by programs and as identifiers in source code. Visual arts also employ symbols to convey ideas and values.

Historically, symbolic systems emerged with early writing and ritual practices and have evolved into complex notation in science, law, and art. Symbolic thinking—using signs to represent absent or abstract concepts—has been central to human communication, memory, and culture.