Semiosis
/ˌsiːmiˈoʊsɪs/noun
The process by which signs create, communicate, and generate meaning.
Did you know?Philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce used semiosis to describe an potentially endless chain in which every sign can generate another sign interpreting it.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dhyē-
“To observe, notice, or perceive; a proposed deeper root associated with Greek sign vocabulary”
Ancient Greek
Greek
sêma (σῆμα)
“A sign, mark, token, or signal”
Ancient Greek
Greek
sēmeióō (σημειόω)
“To mark, indicate, or signify”
Ancient Greek
Greek
sēmeíōsis (σημείωσις)
“The act or process of indicating or signifying”
19th Century
English
semiosis
“A technical term for signification, especially in philosophy and semiotics”
Modern English
English
semiosis
“The ongoing process by which signs produce and communicate meaning”
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