Semiotics
/ˌsiːmiˈɒtɪks/noun
The study of signs, symbols, and how they create and communicate meaning.
Did you know?John Locke proposed “semiotike,” the doctrine of signs, in 1690 as one of the three great branches of knowledge—alongside natural philosophy and ethics.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
σῆμα (sêma)
“A sign, mark, token, or signal”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σημεῖον (sēmeîon)
“A sign, indication, or omen used to point toward something else”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σημειωτικός (sēmeiōtikos)
“Pertaining to signs or capable of interpreting signs”
1690
English
semiotike
“John Locke’s term for the doctrine or study of signs”
19th Century
English
semiotics
“The developing academic study of signs, symbols, and meaning”
Modern English
English
semiotics
“The systematic analysis of how signs communicate meaning in language, culture, media, and behavior”