n. & v.
--n.
1. a thing conventionally regarded as typifying, representing, or recalling something, esp. an idea or quality (white is a symbol of purity).
2 a mark or character taken as the conventional sign of some object, idea, function, or process, e.g. the letters standing for the chemical elements or the characters in musical notation.
--v.tr. (symbolled, symbolling; US symboled, symboling) symbolize.
Derivatives:
symbology n.
Etymology: ME f. L symbolum f. Gk sumbolon mark, token (as SYN-, ballo throw)