signal
English
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editFrom 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
editNoun
editsignal (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], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →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- (antonym(s) of “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
- digital signal processing
- distant signal
- distress signal
- false signal
- fast busy signal
- fog signal
- gang signal
- ground signal
- hand 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-noise ratio
- 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
Related terms
editTranslations
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See also
editVerb
editsignal (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.
- 2024 February 7, Mel Holley, “Network News: LNER ditches Off-Peak for 70min semi-flexible fare”, in RAIL, number 1002, page 6:
- It is the latest step towards an airline-style advance booking-only system, which rail users have denounced as signalling the end of affordable, immediate travel.
- (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
editTranslations
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Adjective
editsignal (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[ohn] 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
editDanish
editEtymology
editFrom Medieval Latin signale.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editsignal n (singular definite signalet, plural indefinite signaler)
- a signal
Declension
editneuter 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
editEtymology
editRe-latinization of Old French segnal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editsignal m (plural signaux)
- signal
- 1864, Jules Verne, Voyage au centre de la Terre, sourced from [2]:
- Nous verrons bien. C’est le mot du professeur, qui, après avoir baptisé cet îlot volcanique du nom de son neveu, donne le signal de rembarquement.
- "That is what we shall see." So says the Professor, who, having named this volcanic islet after his nephew, gives the signal to embark again.
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editDescendants
editFurther reading
edit- “signal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
editNorwegian Bokmål
editEtymology
editFrom Medieval Latin signale.
Noun
editsignal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal or signaler, definite plural signala or signalene)
- a signal
Derived terms
editReferences
edit- “signal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
editEtymology
editFrom Medieval Latin signale.
Noun
editsignal n (definite singular signalet, indefinite plural signal, definite plural signala)
- a signal
Derived terms
editReferences
edit- “signal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Romanian
editEtymology
editNoun
editsignal n (plural signale)
Declension
editsingular | 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
editEtymology
editFrom German Signal, from Medieval Latin signale, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editsìgnāl m (Cyrillic spelling сѝгна̄л)
Declension
editReferences
edit- “signal” in Hrvatski jezični portal
Swedish
editEtymology
editDerived from Latin signālis, from signum.
Pronunciation
editAudio: (file)
Noun
editsignal c
- a signal
Declension
editDeclension 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
editVilamovian
editEtymology
editFrom Old French segnal, seignal or Medieval Latin signāle, noun use of the neuter of Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum.
Pronunciation
editAudio: (file)
Noun
editsignal n (plural signale)
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sek-
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sekʷ- (follow)
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- sv:Rail transportation
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