SIGNAL

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin ~e, from Late Latin, neuter of ~is of a sign, from Latin signum Date: 14th century sign , indication , 2. an act, event, or watchword that has been agreed on as the occasion of concerted action, something that incites to action, something (as a sound, gesture, or object) that conveys notice or warning, 4. an object used to transmit or convey information beyond the range of human voice, the sound or image conveyed in telegraphy, telephony, radio, radar, or television, a detectable physical quantity or impulse (as a voltage, current, or magnetic field strength) by which messages or information can be transmitted, II. verb (~ed or ~led; ~ing or ~ling) Date: 1805 transitive verb to notify by a ~ , 2. to communicate or indicate by or as if by ~s , to constitute a characteristic feature of (a meaningful linguistic form), intransitive verb to make or send a ~, ~er or ~ler noun III. adjective Etymology: modification of French ~é, past participle of ~er to distinguish, from Old Italian segnalare to ~, distinguish, from segnale ~, from Medieval Latin ~e Date: 1627 distinguished from the ordinary ; notable