symbol: [15] Etymologically, a symbol is something ‘thrown together’. The word’s ultimate source is Greek sumbállein, a compound verb formed from the prefix sun- ‘together’ and bállein ‘throw’ (source of English ballistic, problem, etc). The notion of ‘throwing or putting things together’ led on to the notion of ‘contrast’, and so sumbállein came to be used for ‘compare’. From it was derived súmbolon, which denoted an ‘identifying token’ – because such tokens were ‘compared’ with a counterpart to make sure they were genuine – and hence an ‘outward sign’ of something. => ballistic, parable, parole, problem
symbol (n.)
early 15c., "creed, summary, religious belief," from Late Latin symbolum "creed, token, mark," from Greek symbolon "token, watchword, sign by which one infers; ticket, a permit, license" (the word was applied c.250 by Cyprian of Carthage to the Apostles' Creed, on the notion of the "mark" that distinguishes Christians from pagans), literally "that which is thrown or cast together," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + bole "a throwing, a casting, the stroke of a missile, bolt, beam," from bol-, nominative stem of ballein "to throw" (see ballistics).
The sense evolution in Greek is from "throwing things together" to "contrasting" to "comparing" to "token used in comparisons to determine if something is genuine." Hence, "outward sign" of something. The meaning "something which stands for something else" first recorded 1590 (in "Faerie Queene"). As a written character, 1610s.
双语例句
1. His bristling determination has become a symbol of England's renaissance.
他精力旺盛，坚毅顽强，已经成为英格兰文艺复兴的一个象征。
来自柯林斯例句
2. A symbol appears in an upper quadrant of the screen.
一个符号出现在屏幕上方的一个象限里。
来自柯林斯例句
3. King was a worldwide symbol of non-violent protest against racial injustice.
金是全世界非暴力抗议种族不平等运动的象征。
来自柯林斯例句
4. To them, the monarchy is the special symbol of nationhood.
在他们看来，君主制是独立国地位的特殊象征。
来自柯林斯例句
5. In Norman England, the greyhound was a symbol of nobility.
