signal
English
![](Images/wiktionary/Two-aspect-signal_ES692.jpg.webp)
Alternative forms
- signall
Etymology
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
- enPR: sĭgʹnəl, IPA(key): /ˈsɪɡnəl/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɪɡnəl
- Hyphenation: sig‧nal
Noun
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 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:
- All obeyed / The wonted signal and superior voice / Of this great potentate.
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- 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 606515358, [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.
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- 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
- (useful information): noise
Derived terms
- 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
- signalman
- signal post, signalpost
- signal strength
- signalwoman
- smoke signal
- somersault signal
- starter signal
- starting signal
- stop signal
- turn signal
Translations
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See also
- tocsin
Verb
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
- missignal
- oversignal
- undersignal
Translations
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Adjective
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 228732398, 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, 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
- eminent, noteworthy, significant; see also Thesaurus:important or Thesaurus:notable
Related terms
- signature (adjective)
Anagrams
- Saling, algins, aligns, lasing, liangs, lingas
Danish
Etymology
From Medieval Latin signale.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /siˈnæˀl/
Noun
signal n (singular definite signalet, plural indefinite signaler)
- a signal
Declension
neuter gender | Singular | Plural | ||
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indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
nominative | signal | signalet | signaler | signalerne |
genitive | signals | signalets | signalers | signalernes |
References
- “signal” in Den Danske Ordbog
French
Etymology
Re-latinization of Old French segnal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /si.ɲal/
audio (file)
Noun
signal m (plural signaux)
- signal
Derived terms
- écrevisse signal
Related terms
- signe
Descendants
- → Turkish: sinyal
Further reading
- “signal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
- lignas
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
From Medieval Latin signale.
Noun
signal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal or signaler, definite plural signala or signalene)
- a signal
Derived terms
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References
- “signal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
From Medieval Latin signale.
Noun
signal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal, definite plural signala)
- a signal
Derived terms
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References
- “signal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Romanian
Etymology
From French signal.
Noun
signal n (plural signale)
- signal
Declension
singular | plural | |||
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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
Etymology
From German Signal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /sǐɡnaːl/
- Hyphenation: sig‧nal
Noun
sìgnāl m (Cyrillic spelling сѝгна̄л)
- signal
Declension
singular | plural | |
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nominative | sìgnāl | signali |
genitive | signála | signala |
dative | signalu | signalima |
accusative | signal | signale |
vocative | signale | signali |
locative | signalu | signalima |
instrumental | signalom | signalima |
References
- “signal” in Hrvatski jezični portal
Swedish
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Noun
signal c
- a signal
Declension
Declension of signal | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | signal | signalen | signaler | signalerna |
Genitive | signals | signalens | signalers | signalernas |
Anagrams
- inslag, ligans, singla, slinga
Vilamovian
Etymology
From Old French segnal, seignal or Medieval Latin signāle, noun use of the neuter of Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Noun
signal n (plural signale)
- signal