signal
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
EtymologyEdit
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).
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
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
AntonymsEdit
- (useful information): noise
Derived termsEdit
Terms derived from signal (noun)
- cab signal
- colour light signal
- danger signal
- distant signal
- distress signal
- fog signal
- home signal
- hypersignal
- hyposignal
- phylosignal
- radio signal
- right-away signal
- semaphore signal
- signal box, signalbox
- signal bridge
- signal cabin
- signal check
- signal gantry
- signal lad
- signal post, signalpost
- signal strength
- signalman
- signalwoman
- smoke signal
- somersault signal
- starter signal
- starting signal
- stop signal
- turn signal
TranslationsEdit
sign made to give notice
|
device to give indication
|
telecommunication: electromagnetic action that conveys information
|
foreshadowing
useful information as opposed to noise
computing: simple interprocess communication
See alsoEdit
VerbEdit
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 termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
to indicate
|
AdjectiveEdit
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.
SynonymsEdit
- eminent, noteworthy, significant; see also Thesaurus:important or Thesaurus:notable
Related termsEdit
- signature (adjective)
AnagramsEdit
DanishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Medieval Latin signale.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
signal n (singular definite signalet, plural indefinite signaler)
- a signal
DeclensionEdit
Declension of signal
| neuter gender |
Singular | Plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
| nominative | signal | signalet | signaler | signalerne |
| genitive | signals | signalets | signalers | signalernes |
ReferencesEdit
- “signal” in Den Danske Ordbog
FrenchEdit
EtymologyEdit
Re-latinization of Old French segnal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
signal m (plural signaux)
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
- → Turkish: sinyal
Further readingEdit
- “signal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
AnagramsEdit
Norwegian BokmålEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Medieval Latin signale.
NounEdit
signal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal or signaler, definite plural signala or signalene)
- a signal
Derived termsEdit
Terms derived from signal
ReferencesEdit
- “signal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian NynorskEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Medieval Latin signale.
NounEdit
signal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal, definite plural signala)
- a signal
Derived termsEdit
Terms derived from signal
ReferencesEdit
- “signal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
RomanianEdit
EtymologyEdit
NounEdit
signal n (plural signale)
DeclensionEdit
Declension of signal
| 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-CroatianEdit
EtymologyEdit
From German Signal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Latin signum.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
sìgnāl m (Cyrillic spelling сѝгна̄л)
DeclensionEdit
Declension of signal
ReferencesEdit
- “signal” in Hrvatski jezični portal
SwedishEdit
PronunciationEdit
Audio (file)
NounEdit
signal c
- a signal
DeclensionEdit
| Declension of signal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | |||
| Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
| Nominative | signal | signalen | signaler | signalerna |
| Genitive | signals | signalens | signalers | signalernas |
AnagramsEdit
VilamovianEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old French segnal, seignal or Medieval Latin signāle, noun use of the neuter of Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
PronunciationEdit
Audio (file)
NounEdit
signal n (plural signale)