semiotics

se·mi·ot·ics

noun \-ˈä-tiks\

plural semiotics

Definition of SEMIOTICS

: a general philosophical theory of signs and symbols that deals especially with their function in both artificially constructed and natural languages and comprises syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics

— semiotic adjective

— se·mi·o·ti·cian \-ə-ˈti-shən\ noun

— se·mi·ot·i·cist \-ˈä-tə-sist\ noun

Variants of SEMIOTICS

se·mi·ot·ics or se·mi·ot·ic \-tik\

Origin of SEMIOTICS

Greek sēmeiōtikos observant of signs, from sēmeiousthai to interpret signs, from sēmeion sign, from sēma sign

First Known Use: 1880

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, simile