Word.ws English Dictionary

signal

Syllables: sig·nal/ˈsɪɡnəl/

signal noun: a sequence of states representing an encoded message in a communication channel.

signal: a sequence of states representing an encoded message in a communication channel
Image: Andrew Bell ( en:BesigedB ), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun

signal (plural signals)

  1. A sequence of states representing an encoded message in a communication channel.
  2. Any variation of a quantity or change in an entity over time that conveys information upon detection.
  3. A sign made to give notice of some occurrence, command, or danger, or to indicate the start of a concerted action.
    • All obeyed / The wonted signal and superior voice / Of this great potentate.1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
    • Banner-Repeater signals tend to be provided in locations where drivers receive insufficient warning of the main signal, thereby effectively increasing the sighting distance for the main signal.2020 December 30, David Allen, “Unusual signals...”, in Rail, page 64
  4. An on-off light, semaphore, or other device used to give an indication to another person.
    1. A railway signal.
  5. (Internet, TV, usually) An electromagnetic action, normally a voltage that is a function of time, that conveys the information of the radio or TV program or of communication with another party.
    • My mobile phone can't get a signal in the railway station.
  6. An action, change or process done to convey information and thus reduce uncertainty.
  7. A token; an indication; a foreshadowing; a sign.
    • The weary sun […] / Gives signal of a goodly day to-morrow.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
    • There was not the least signal of the calamity to be seen.1722, Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year
  8. Useful information, as opposed to noise.
  9. (Unix) A simple interprocess communication used to notify a process or thread of an occurrence.
  10. A signalling interaction between cells

Verb

signal (third-person singular simple present signals, present participle (US) signaling or (UK) signalling, simple past and past participle (US) signaled or (UK) signalled)

  1. (ambitransitive) To indicate; to convey or communicate by a signal.
    • I signalled my acquiescence with a nod.
    • He whistled to signal that we should stop.
  2. (transitive) To communicate with (a person or system) by a signal.
    • Seeing the flames, he ran to the control room and signalled headquarters.

Adjective

signal (not comparable)

  1. Standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement.
    • a signal exploit; a signal success; a signal act of benevolence
    • As ſignal now in low dejected ſtate, / As earſt in higheſt, behold him where he lies.1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 27

signal meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

signal in Hindi

sign made to give notice
संकेत saṅket, इशारा iśārā

signal in Tamil

வழிக்குறி, சைகை, குறிப்பு, அறிவிப்புக்குறி, சுட்டுக் குறி, குறியீடு

signal in Marathi

सिग्नल, संकेत देणे, संकेत देण्याकरता

signal in Urdu

sign made to give notice
اِشارَہ iśāra
More languagesFewer languages
signal in Bengali
ইশারা iśara, সংকেত śoṅket
signal in Telugu
సంజ్ఞ sañjña, సంకేతం saṅkētaṁ
signal in Malayalam
സിഗ്നൽ, ഒരു സിഗ്നൽ, സിഗ്നൽ ചെയ്യാൻ
signal in Kannada
ಗುರುತು, ಸುಳಿವು, ತೋರಿಕೆ
signal in Punjabi
ਕਾਂਟਾ kāṇṭā
signal in Gujarati
સંકેત, સિગ્નલ
signal in Odia
ସିଗନାଲ, ସଂକେତ
signal in Pashto
اشاره ešārá, سيګنل signál, زيګنال zignãl
signal in Arabic
إِشَارَة ʔišāra
signal in Malay
isyarat
signal in Indonesian
anggai, isyarat, sinyal, padah
signal in Thai
สัญญาณ sǎn-yaan
signal in Vietnamese
tín hiệu
signal in Myanmar
လက္ခဏာ lakhka.na

Examples of signal in a sentence

  • My arms wheeled frantically in the air as I tried to signal for help.
  • Did I get it wrong all along? / You were sending signals / You sent certain signals to me2023, Róisín Murphy, “Hurtz So Bad”, in Hit Parade:
  • In order to accommodate the new platform 4 and the reversibly signalled slow line, a deep cutting had to be cut back and held up in places with a concrete retaining wall.1962 June, David Walters, “The new station and layout at Coventry”, in Modern Railways, page 405:
  • I signaled for our waiter and ordered two Glenlivets, the only single malt they had behind the bar.2015, Andy Nottenkamper, A Rule Not Followed:
  • It is the latest step towards an airline-style advance booking-only system, which rail users have denounced as signalling the end of affordable, immediate travel.2024 February 7, Mel Holley, “Network News: LNER ditches Off-Peak for 70min semi-flexible fare”, in RAIL, number 1002, page 6:

All 40 example sentences with signal

Synonyms of signal

Antonyms

Forms of signal

Noun
pluralsignals
alternative formsignall
Verb
third-person singular presentsignals
present participle USsignaling
present participle UKsignalling
past participle USsignaled
past USsignaled
past participle UKsignalled
past UKsignalled

Past tense of signal: signaled or signalled

Plural of signal: signals

Origin of signal

From Old French segnal, seignal or Medieval Latin signāle; noun use of the neuter of Late Latin signālis, from Latin signum; verb use from 1805, as a shortened from signalize (1650s). Doublet of signum and sign.

Words formed from signal

Phrases with signal

35 more phrasesFewer phrases

Questions about signal

What does signal mean?
Signal means a sequence of states representing an encoded message in a communication channel.
What is signal in Hindi?
Signal in Hindi is संकेत (saṅket), इशारा (iśārā). See Signal meaning in Hindi.
How do you use signal in a sentence?
My arms wheeled frantically in the air as I tried to signal for help.
What part of speech is signal?
Signal can be a noun, a verb or an adjective.
How do you pronounce signal?
Signal is pronounced /ˈsɪɡnəl/.
What is the plural of signal?
The plural of signal is signals.

Words near signal in the dictionary

  1. signa
  2. signability
  3. signable
  4. signage
  5. signages
  6. signal
  7. signal aspect
  8. signal aspects
  9. signal boost
  10. signal boosted
  11. signal boosting

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: signal (page history and authors); signal (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); signal (Marathi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); signal (Malayalam, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); signal (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors); ਕਾਂਟਾ (Punjabi) (page history and authors); signal (Gujarati, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); signal (Odia, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-signal.ogg.

Cite this entry: “signal.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/signal. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.