signify

Signify is a verb meaning to indicate or be a sign of something. It can express meaning beyond the literal sense, denote importance or intention, or signify a state or feeling. In everyday language, a gesture, symbol, or statement may signify approval, warning, or meaning. In logic and linguistics, significance relates to how signs convey interpretation or meaning.

Etymology: Signify comes from Latin significare, meaning to indicate or signify, itself from signum “sign” plus facere “to make” or to do. The word entered English via Old French and Middle English, retaining the sense of making or indicating a sign.

Signify N.V. is a Dutch multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells lighting products and connected lighting systems. It originated as Philips Lighting and was rebranded Signify in 2016 after a corporate restructuring that separated it from Royal Philips. Headquartered in Amsterdam, Signify operates in more than 70 countries and serves consumers and professionals through a broad portfolio of lighting solutions. The company emphasizes LED lighting, professional lighting systems, and Internet of Things–enabled connected lighting. Consumer products are marketed under the Philips brand in many markets, while Signify itself and the Hue brand cover other segments, including smart lighting for homes and commercial buildings. Its offerings also include building-automation and managed lighting platforms such as Interact, which allow customers to monitor and optimize lighting networks.

Signify highlights the linguistic concept of signaling and meaning while also representing a global lighting company focused on energy-efficient and connected lighting solutions.