znamenie

Znamenie is a noun in several Slavic languages, most prominently in Russian (znamenie) and in Czech and Slovak (znamení, znamenie). It denotes a sign or indicator and can also mean omen, symbol, emblem, or miracle, depending on context. The term is cognate across the languages and is used in religious, cultural, and semiotic contexts. Etymology traces to Proto-Slavic roots meaning to bear or indicate a sign, linked to the idea of marking or signaling.

In everyday usage, znamenie refers to a tangible signal or cue, such as weather signs or traffic signs; in religious or folkloric contexts, it emphasizes miraculous or divine signs. In Czech and Slovak, znamení/znamenie frequently means "sign" or "mark" on a surface or a symbol in writing and mathematics. In literature and philosophy, it appears in discussions of sign relations, where znamenie is a general counterpart to "sign" or "symbol."

See also: Sign, Omen, Symbol, Significance. In some traditions, terms related to znamenie appear in heraldry and religious liturgy, where it can denote a sacred sign, such as the Sign of the Cross in Russian or Slavic Christian usage.

Note: The exact nuance varies by language; the word does not directly correspond to the mathematical "sign" (which in Russian is "znak").