signal
English Edit
Alternative forms Edit
Etymology Edit
From Old French segnal, seignal or Medieval Latin signāle; noun use of the neuter of Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum; verb use from 1805, as a shortened from signalize (1650s).
Pronunciation Edit
Noun Edit
signal (plural signals)
- A sequence of states representing an encoded message in a communication channel.
- Any variation of a quantity or change in an entity over time that conveys information upon detection.
- A sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- All obeyed / The wonted signal and superior voice / Of this great potentate.
- An on-off light, semaphore, or other device used to give an indication to another person.
- (of a radio, TV, telephone, internet, etc.) An electromagnetic action, normally a voltage that is a function of time, that conveys the information of the radio or TV program or of communication with another party.
- My mobile phone can't get a signal in the railway station.
- An action, change or process done to convey information and thus reduce uncertainty.
- A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.
- c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
- The weary sun […] / Gives signal of a goodly day to-morrow.
- 1722, Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year:
- There was not the least signal of the calamity to be seen.
- Useful information, as opposed to noise.
- (computing, Unix) A simple interprocess communication used to notify a process or thread of an occurrence.
- (biochemistry) A signalling interaction between cells
Antonyms Edit
- (useful information): noise
Derived terms Edit
- analog signal
- ball signal
- block signal
- busy signal
- cab signal
- clock signal
- colour light signal
- danger signal
- danger-signal
- digital signal
- distant signal
- distress signal
- false signal
- fast busy signal
- fog signal
- gang signal
- home signal
- hypersignal
- hyposignal
- mixed signal
- phylosignal
- price signal
- radio signal
- right-away signal
- semaphore signal
- signal aspect
- signal boost
- signal box, signalbox
- signal bridge
- signal cabin
- signal check
- signal crayfish
- signal fire
- signal gantry
- signal indication
- signal lad
- signalless
- signalman
- signal phrase
- signal pistol
- signal post, signalpost
- signal strength
- signal-to-noise
- signal-to-noise ratio
- signal transduction
- signalwoman
- smoke signal
- smoke-signal
- somersault signal
- starter signal
- starting signal
- stop signal
- time-signal
- time signal
- traffic signal
- traffic signal box
- turn signal
- virtue signal
Translations Edit
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See also Edit
Verb Edit
signal (third-person singular simple present signals, present participle (UK) signalling or (US) signaling, simple past and past participle (UK) signalled or (US) signaled)
- (transitive, intransitive) To indicate; to convey or communicate by a signal.
- I signalled my acquiescence with a nod.
- He whistled to signal that we should stop.
- (transitive) To communicate with (a person or system) by a signal.
- Seeing the flames, he ran to the control room and signalled headquarters.
Derived terms Edit
Translations Edit
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Adjective Edit
signal (not comparable)
- Standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.
- a signal exploit; a signal success; a signal act of benevolence
- 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 27:
- As ſignal now in low dejected ſtate, / As earſt in higheſt, behold him where he lies.
- 1866, Herman Melville, Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War[1], Supplement:
- But, setting this view aside, dishonorable would it be in the South were she willing to abandon to shame the memory of brave men who with signal personal disinterestedness warred in her behalf, though from motives, as we believe, so deplorably astray.
Synonyms Edit
- eminent, noteworthy, significant; see also Thesaurus:important or Thesaurus:notable
Related terms Edit
- signature (adjective)
Anagrams Edit
Danish Edit
Etymology Edit
From Medieval Latin signale.
Pronunciation Edit
Noun Edit
signal n (singular definite signalet, plural indefinite signaler)
- a signal
Declension Edit
neuter gender |
Singular | Plural | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
nominative | signal | signalet | signaler | signalerne |
genitive | signals | signalets | signalers | signalernes |
References Edit
- “signal” in Den Danske Ordbog
French Edit
Etymology Edit
Re-latinization of Old French segnal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation Edit
Noun Edit
signal m (plural signaux)
Derived terms Edit
Related terms Edit
Descendants Edit
Further reading Edit
- “signal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams Edit
Norwegian Bokmål Edit
Etymology Edit
From Medieval Latin signale.
Noun Edit
signal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal or signaler, definite plural signala or signalene)
- a signal
Derived terms Edit
References Edit
- “signal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk Edit
Etymology Edit
From Medieval Latin signale.
Noun Edit
signal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal, definite plural signala)
- a signal
Derived terms Edit
References Edit
- “signal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Romanian Edit
Etymology Edit
Noun Edit
signal n (plural signale)
Declension Edit
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) signal | signalul | (niște) signale | signalele |
genitive/dative | (unui) signal | signalului | (unor) signale | signalelor |
vocative | signalule | signalelor |
Serbo-Croatian Edit
Etymology Edit
From German Signal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation Edit
Noun Edit
sìgnāl m (Cyrillic spelling сѝгна̄л)
Declension Edit
References Edit
- “signal” in Hrvatski jezični portal
Swedish Edit
Etymology Edit
Derived from Latin signālis, from signum.
Pronunciation Edit
Audio (file)
Noun Edit
signal c
- a signal
Declension Edit
Declension of signal | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | signal | signalen | signaler | signalerna |
Genitive | signals | signalens | signalers | signalernas |
Derived terms Edit
- alarmsignal
- anropssignal
- avgångssignal
- doftsignal
- flaggsignal
- försignal
- haltsignal
- hornsignal
- hungersignal
- igenkänningssignal
- järnvägssignal
- kampsignal
- klarsignal
- kodsignal
- konjunktursignal
- larmsignal
- ljudsignal
- ljussignal
- mistsignal
- morsesignal
- nervsignal
- nödsignal
- omkörningssignal
- paussignal
- radiosignal
- raketsignal
- ringsignal
- röksignal
- signalalfabet
- signalanordning
- signalbok
- signaleld
- signalera
- signalfel
- signalflagga
- signalfärg
- signalhorn
- signalist
- signalklocka
- signalknapp
- signalkod
- signalkräfta
- signallampa
- signallykta
- signalmast
- signalord
- signalpipa
- signalpistol
- signalraket
- signalregemente
- signalreglerad
- signalreglering
- signalskott
- signalspaning
- signalstyrka
- signalsubstans
- signalsystem
- signaltjänst
- signaltrupp
- signalvärde
- signalämne
- sirensignal
- slutsignal
- smärtsignal
- SOS-signal
- startsignal
- stoppsignal
- stormsignal
- stridssignal
- svarssignal
- synkroniseringssignal
- synksignal
- taptosignal
- telefonsignal
- tidssignal
- trafiksignal
- trumpetsignal
- uppbrottssignal
- upprorssignal
- upptagetsignal
- utryckningssignal
- varningssignal
- videosignal
- visselsignal
Further reading Edit
- signal in Svenska Akademiens ordböcker
- signal in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)
Anagrams Edit
Vilamovian Edit
Etymology Edit
From Old French segnal, seignal or Medieval Latin signāle, noun use of the neuter of Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation Edit
Audio (file)
Noun Edit
signal n (plural signale)