1. A conventional sign serving as an abbreviation. 2. In chemistry, an abbreviation of the name of an element, radical, or compound, expressing in chemical formulas one atom or molecule of that element ( e.g., H and O in H2O); in biochemistry, an abbreviation of trivial name s of molecules used primarily in combination with other similar symbols to construct larger assemblies ( e.g., Gly for glycine, Ado for adenosine, Glc for glucose). 3. In psychoanalysis, an object or action that is interpreted to represent some repressed or unconscious desire, often sexual. 4. A philosophical-linguistic sign. SEE ALSO: conventional signs, under sign. [G. symbolon, a mark or sign, fr. sym-ballo, to throw together]
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a) an arbitrary or conventional sign used in writing or printing relating to a particular field to represent operations, quantities, elements, relations, or qualities
b) an object or act representing something in the unconscious mind that has been repressed <phallic \symbols>
sym·bol·ic sim-'bäl-ik adj
sym·bol·i·cal·ly -i-k(ə-)lē adv
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sym·bol (simґbəl) [Gr. symbolon, from symballein to interpret] 1. something, particularly an object, representing something else. 2. in chemistry, a letter or combination of letters representing an atom or a group of atoms. 3. in psychoanalytic theory, a representation or perception that replaces unconscious mental content.Medical dictionary. 2011.