English
signification
Signification comes from Latin significātiō ‘signal, sign, mark, token’, from significō ‘to show, express, signify, point out’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘token, sign’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignificō‘to show, express, signify, point out’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignificātiō‘signal, sign, mark, token’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400significacion
- Englishtodaysignification
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘token, sign’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignificō‘to show, express, signify, point out’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignificātiō‘signal, sign, mark, token’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400significacion
- Englishtodaysignification
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sek- ‘to cut’
saw, sex, risk, ship, sexual, section, segment, sack, insect, sawyer, scarlet, sax, het, designation, shingle, dissect, sickle, scythe, seg, sedge, sich, brassica, desiccant, desiccation, assignation, 52 more
through Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’
design, resign, sealing, assign, consign, 18 more
through Latin signum ‘token, sign’
seal, signal, ensign, insignia, signet, sain, sigil, 12 more
Today it means
noun The act of signifying, or something that is signified; significance.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *segnom / signification