Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Significant

Sig-nif′i-cant

,
Adj.
[L.
significans
,
-antis
, p. pr. of
significare
. See
Signify
.]
1.
Fitted or designed to signify or make known somethingl having a meaning; standing as a sign or token; expressive or suggestive;
as, a
significant
word or sound; a
significant
look
.
It was well said of Plotinus, that the stars were
significant
, but not efficient.
Sir W. Raleigh.
2.
Deserving to be considered; important; momentous;
as, a
significant
event
.
Significant figures
(Arith.)
,
the figures which remain to any number, or decimal fraction, after the ciphers at the right or left are canceled.
Thus, the
significant figures
of 25,000, or of .0025, are 25
.

Sig-nif′i-cant

,
Noun.
That which has significance; a sign; a token; a symbol.
Wordsworth.
In dumb
significants
proclaim your thoughts.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition


Significant

SIGNIF'ICANT

,
Adj.
[L. signigicans.]
1.
Expressive of something beyond the external mark.
2.
Bearing a meaning; expressing or containing signification of sense; as a significant word or sound; a significant look.
3.
Betokening something; standing as a sign of something. It was well said of Plotinus, that the stars were significant, but not efficient.
4.
Expressive or representative of some fact or event, The passover among the Jews was significant of the escape of the Israelites from the destruction which fell on the Egyptians. The bread and wine in the sacrament are significant of the body and blood of Christ.
5.
Important; momentous. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024


significant

significant

English

Adjective

significant (comparative more significant, superlative most significant)

  1. Signifying something; carrying meaning.
    a significant word or sound; a significant look
    • Sir Walter Raleigh
      It was well said of Plotinus, that the stars were significant, but not efficient.
    • Percy Fitzgerald, The Supercargo's Story
      As evening came on, it grew prematurely dark and cloudy; while the waves acquired that dull indigo tint so significant of ugly weather.
  2. Having a covert or hidden meaning.
  3. Having a noticeable or major effect; notable.
    That was a significant step in the right direction.
    The First World War was a significant event.
  4. Reasonably large in number or amount.
  5. (statistics) Having a low probability of occurring by chance (for example, having high correlation and thus likely to be related).

Related terms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translations

Noun

significant (plural significants)

  1. That which has significance; a sign; a token; a symbol.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Wordsworth to this entry?)
    • Shakespeare
      In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts.


Catalan

Verb

significant

  1. present participle of significar

Latin

Verb

significant

  1. third-person plural present active indicative of significō