# signified

/ˈsɪɡnəˌfaɪd/ (US) · /sˈɪɡnɪfˌaɪd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/signified
Updated: 2026-05-25

## Definition

the thing that a word or symbol represents. It is the actual object or idea that the sign points to.

For teachers: the object, concept, or entity that is represented by a sign. In semiotics, it is the referent or the 'thing in itself' that the signifier points toward.

## Examples

- The word 'tree' is a signifier, and the actual plant is the signified.
- In semiotic analysis, the signified is the mental concept that the signifier evokes in the mind of the observer.
- While the signifier is the audible or visible form of a sign, the signified is the abstract concept that exists within the collective consciousness of a linguistic community.

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