SEMIOTIC

[se.mi.ot.ic] or se.mi.ot.ics n, pl semiotics [Gk semeiotikos observant of signs, fr. semeiousthai to interpret signs, fr. semeion sign, fr. sema sign] (1880): a general philosophical theory of signs and symbols that deals esp. with their function in both artificially constructed and natural languages and comprises syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics -- semiotic adj -- se.mi.o.ti.cian n -- se.mi.ot.i.cist n