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.
例文
1. His bristling determination has become a symbol of England 's renaissance.彼は精力的で粘り強く、イングランドのルネサンスの象徴となっている。
2.A symbol appears in an upper quadrant of the screen.
1つの記号が画面上の1つの象限に表示されます。
3.King was a worldwide symbol of non-violent protest against racial injustice.
金は全世界の非暴力抗議人種不平等運動の象徴である。
4.To them，the monarchy is the special symbol of nationhood.
彼らから見れば、君主制は独立国の地位の特殊な象徴である。
5.In Norman England，the greyhound was a symbol of nobility.