Symbol vs. Figure — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 6, 2024
Symbol represents ideas or concepts through signs or images, while a figure is a numerical value or a shape in mathematics and statistics.
Difference Between Symbol and Figure
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A symbol is an element used in communication to represent an idea, object, or relationship through imagery or signs. On the other hand, a figure can refer to a numerical digit, especially when representing statistics or mathematical results.
Symbols are heavily used in various forms of art and literature to convey deeper meanings without explicit mention, whereas figures are used in academic and scientific contexts to present data or describe the shape of an object.
In language and cultural studies, symbols carry significant cultural, religious, or philosophical meanings, often transcending linguistic barriers. Figures, however, are universally understood in the context of numbers and geometry, making them crucial in global communication of quantitative information.
Symbols can be abstract or concrete and are open to interpretation based on cultural or individual perspectives. In contrast, figures are concrete in their meaning in mathematics and do not typically invite personal interpretation.
The effectiveness of a symbol lies in its ability to evoke emotions or ideas through a simple visual or sign, while the effectiveness of a figure is in its clear, precise communication of measurements or quantities.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Represents ideas or concepts abstractly
Represents numerical values or shapes
Usage
Art, literature, religion
Mathematics, statistics, geometry
Interpretation
Subjective and culturally specific
Objective and universally understood
Types
Logos, icons, metaphors
Digits, geometric shapes, diagrams
Impact
Evokes emotion, suggests deeper meanings
Provides clarity, exact information
Compare with Definitions
Symbol
Can signify various concepts in different contexts.
In literature, water often symbolizes life or renewal.
Figure
Refers to any number, especially when used in data.
The figure was surprisingly higher than last year’s.
Symbol
Operates mostly within a cultural or contextual framework.
A red octagon is widely recognized as a symbol for 'stop'.
Figure
In sports, refers to specific moves or scores.
He executed a perfect figure in figure skating.
Symbol
Used in various cultures to convey shared beliefs.
The cross is a key symbol in Christianity.
Figure
Used in the context of statistics and analysis.
Statistical figures are essential for market analysis.
Symbol
Involves the use of icons and logos in branding.
The apple with a bite taken out is the symbol of Apple Inc.
Figure
Can depict a person's form or silhouette in art.
The artist captured the figure in dramatic shadows.
Symbol
Represents complex ideas in simple forms.
A dove is a symbol of peace.
Figure
Represents shapes in geometry.
A triangle is a basic geometric figure.
Symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different concepts and experiences.
Figure
A written or printed symbol representing something other than a letter, especially a number.
Symbol
A mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process, e.g. the letter or letters standing for a chemical element or a character in musical notation
The chemical symbol for helium is He
The symbol r in Figure 5 represents a gene which is ineffective
Figure
Figures Mathematical calculations
Good at figures.
Symbol
A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract
The limousine was another symbol of his wealth and authority
Figure
An amount represented in numbers
Sold for a large figure.
Symbol
Symbolize.
Figure
Figures One of the digits specified as making up a larger number
A salary in the six figures.
Symbol
Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible
The lamb is a symbol of innocence.
Figure
(Mathematics) A geometric form consisting of any combination of points, lines, or planes
A triangle is a plane figure.
Symbol
An instance that typifies a broader pattern or situation
His striking out to end the rally was a symbol of everything that had gone wrong with the team over the past month.
Figure
The outline, form, or silhouette of a thing
Saw the figure of a cat in the window.
Symbol
A printed or written sign used to represent an operation, element, quantity, quality, or relation, as in mathematics or music.
Figure
The shape or form of a human body
A fashion model with an attractive figure.
Symbol
(Psychology) An object or image that an individual unconsciously uses to represent repressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses
A phallic symbol.
Figure
An indistinct object or shape
The figures in the mist turned out to be lampposts.
Symbol
A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.
$ is the symbol for dollars in the US and some other countries.
Chinese people use word symbols for writing.
Figure
A person, especially a well-known one
A famous historical figure.
Symbol
A thing considered the embodiment of a concept or object.
The lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience.
Figure
Impression or appearance made
Cut a dashing figure at the reception.
Symbol
(linguistics) A type of noun whereby the form refers to the same entity independently of the context; a symbol arbitrarily denotes a referent. See also icon and index.
Figure
A person, animal, or object that symbolizes something.
Symbol
A summary of a dogmatic statement of faith.
The Apostles, Nicene Creed and the confessional books of Protestantism, such as the Augsburg Confession of Lutheranism are considered symbols.
Figure
A pictorial or sculptural representation, especially of the human body.
Symbol
(crystallography) The numerical expression which defines a plane's position relative to the assumed axes.
Figure
A diagram
Drew a figure of the office layout.
Symbol
(obsolete) That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.
Figure
A design or pattern, as in a textile
Silk with a paisley figure.
Symbol
(obsolete) Share; allotment.
Figure
An illustration printed from an engraved plate or block.
Symbol
(programming) An internal identifier used by a debugger to relate parts of the compiled program to the corresponding names in the source code.
Figure
A configuration or distinct group of steps in a dance.
Symbol
(telecommunications) A signalling event on a communications channel; a signal that cannot be further divided into meaningful information.
Figure
A pattern traced by a series of movements, as in ice skating.
Symbol
To symbolize.
Figure
(Music) A brief melodic or harmonic unit often constituting the basis of a larger phrase or structure.
Symbol
A visible sign or representation of an idea; anything which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by resemblance or by convention; an emblem; a representation; a type; a figure; as, the lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience.
A symbol is a sign included in the idea which it represents, e. g., an actual part chosen to represent the whole, or a lower form or species used as the representative of a higher in the same kind.
Figure
(Logic) Any one of the forms that a syllogism can take, given one of the four possible arrangements of the middle term.
Symbol
Any character used to represent a quantity, an operation, a relation, or an abbreviation.
Figure
(Mathematics) To calculate with numbers
Figured the sum to be nearly a million.
Symbol
An abstract or compendium of faith or doctrine; a creed, or a summary of the articles of religion.
Figure
To make a likeness of; depict.
Symbol
That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.
They do their work in the days of peace . . . and come to pay their symbol in a war or in a plague.
Figure
To adorn with a design or figures.
Symbol
Share; allotment.
The persons who are to be judged . . . shall all appear to receive their symbol.
Figure
To write a sequence of conventionalized numbers below or above (the bassline) to indicate harmony.
Symbol
An abbreviation standing for the name of an element and consisting of the initial letter of the Latin or New Latin name, or sometimes of the initial letter with a following one; as, C for carbon, Na for sodium (Natrium), Fe for iron (Ferrum), Sn for tin (Stannum), Sb for antimony (Stibium), etc. See the list of names and symbols under Element.
Figure
To embellish with an ornamental pattern.
Symbol
To symbolize.
Figure
To conclude, believe, or predict
I never figured that this would happen.
Symbol
An arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
Figure
To consider or regard
Figured them as con artists.
Symbol
Something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible;
The eagle is a symbol of the United States
Figure
(Mathematics) To calculate; compute.
Figure
To be or seem important or prominent
A key fact that figures in our understanding of what happened.
Figure
To be pertinent or involved
His advice barely figured in my decision.
Figure
(Informal) To seem reasonable or expected
“I found my keys in the sofa.” “Well, that figures, given that you were sitting there last night.”.
Figure
A drawing or diagram conveying information.
Figure
The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modelling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body.
A figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble
Figure
A person or thing representing a certain consciousness.
Figure
The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person.
He cut a sorry figure standing there in the rain.
Figure
(obsolete) Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendour; show.
Figure
A human figure, which dress or corset must fit to; the shape of a human body.
Figure
A numeral.
Figure
A number, an amount.
Figure
A shape.
A geometrical figure, a plane figure, a solid figure
Figure
A visible pattern as in wood or cloth.
The muslin was of a pretty figure.''
Figure
Any complex dance moveW.
Figure
A figure of speech.
Figure
(logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
Figure
(astrology) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses.
Figure
(music) Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression.
Figure
(music) A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a motif; a florid embellishment.
Figure
To calculate, to solve a mathematical problem.
Figure
To come to understand.
I can’t figure if he’s telling the truth or lying.
Figure
To think, to assume, to suppose, to reckon.
Figure
To be reasonable.
It figures that somebody like him would be upset about the situation.
Figure
(intransitive) To enter into; to be a part of.
Figure
(obsolete) To represent by a figure, as to form or mould; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to fashion into a determinate form; to shape.
Figure
To embellish with design; to adorn with figures.
Figure
(obsolete) To indicate by numerals.
Figure
To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize.
Figure
(obsolete) To prefigure; to foreshow.
Figure
(music) To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords.
Figure
(music) To embellish.
Figure
The form of anything; shape; outline; appearance.
Flowers have all exquisite figures.
Figure
The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modeling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body; as, a figure in bronze; a figure cut in marble.
A coin that bears the figure of an angel.
Figure
A pattern in cloth, paper, or other manufactured article; a design wrought out in a fabric; as, the muslin was of a pretty figure.
Figure
A diagram or drawing, made to represent a magnitude or the relation of two or more magnitudes; a surface or space inclosed on all sides; - called superficial when inclosed by lines, and solid when inclosed by surfaces; any arrangement made up of points, lines, angles, surfaces, etc.
Figure
The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person; as, a sorry figure.
I made some figure there.
Gentlemen of the best figure in the county.
Figure
Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendor; show.
That he may live in figure and indulgence.
Figure
A character or symbol representing a number; a numeral; a digit; as, 1, 2,3, etc.
Figure
Value, as expressed in numbers; price; as, the goods are estimated or sold at a low figure.
With nineteen thousand a year at the very lowest figure.
Figure
A person, thing, or action, conceived of as analogous to another person, thing, or action, of which it thus becomes a type or representative.
Who is the figure of Him that was to come.
Figure
A mode of expressing abstract or immaterial ideas by words which suggest pictures or images from the physical world; pictorial language; a trope; hence, any deviation from the plainest form of statement. Also called a figure of speech.
To represent the imagination under the figure of a wing.
Figure
The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
Figure
Any one of the several regular steps or movements made by a dancer.
Figure
A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses.
Figure
Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression.
Figure
A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a musical phrase or motive; a florid embellishment.
Figure
To represent by a figure, as to form or mold; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to fashion into a determinate form; to shape.
If love, alas! be pain I bear,
No thought can figure, and no tongue declare.Prior.
Figure
To embellish with design; to adorn with figures.
The vaulty top of heavenFigured quite o'er with burning meteors.
Figure
To indicate by numerals; also, to compute.
As through a crystal glass the figured hours are seen.
Figure
To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize.
Whose white vestments figure innocence.
Figure
To prefigure; to foreshow.
In this the heaven figures some event.
Figure
To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords.
Figure
To make a figure; to be distinguished or conspicious; as, the envoy figured at court.
Sociable, hospitable, eloquent, admired, figuring away brilliantly.
Figure
To calculate; to contrive; to scheme; as, he is figuring to secure the nomination.
Figure
A diagram or picture illustrating textual material;
The area covered can be seen from Figure 2
Figure
Alternative names for the body of a human being;
Leonardo studied the human body
He has a strong physique
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
Figure
One of the elements that collectively form a system of numbers;
0 and 1 are digits
Figure
A model of a bodily form (especially of a person);
He made a figure of Santa Claus
Figure
A well-known or notable person;
They studied all the great names in the history of France
She is an important figure in modern music
Figure
A combination of points and lines and planes that form a visible palpable shape
Figure
An amount of money expressed numerically;
A figure of $17 was suggested
Figure
The impression produced by a person;
He cut a fine figure
A heroic figure
Figure
The property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals;
He had a number of chores to do
The number of parameters is small
The figure was about a thousand
Figure
Language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense
Figure
A unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a ground
Figure
A decorative or artistic work;
The coach had a design on the doors
Figure
A predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating;
She made the best score on compulsory figures
Figure
Judge to be probable
Figure
Be or play a part of or in;
Elections figure prominently in every government program
How do the elections figure in the current pattern of internal politics?
Figure
Imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind;
I can't see him on horseback!
I can see what will happen
I can see a risk in this strategy
Figure
Make a mathematical calculation or computation
Figure
Understand;
He didn't figure her
Common Curiosities
How does a symbol differ from a figure in art?
In art, a symbol represents deeper meanings through imagery, while a figure often represents the human body or other physical forms.
Can figures be considered symbols?
Yes, figures can act as symbols when they transcend their literal interpretation, such as in numerology.
Why are symbols important in literature?
Symbols in literature add depth to the narrative, allowing for multiple interpretations and richer reader engagement.
Can a symbol carry multiple meanings?
Yes, symbols often carry multiple meanings, which can vary widely across different cultures or historical contexts.
How does cultural context affect the interpretation of symbols?
Cultural context significantly influences how symbols are understood and interpreted.
What is a symbol?
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship.
How are figures used in mathematics?
Figures in mathematics are used to represent numbers, shapes, or positions within a structure, such as a graph.
What is the role of figures in statistics?
Figures in statistics provide concrete data that can be analyzed to support conclusions or predictions.
What makes a symbol effective in communication?
An effective symbol is easily recognizable and evokes a specific idea or emotion.
How are figures important in everyday life?
Figures are crucial in everyday life for managing finances, understanding measurements, and analyzing data.
Are figures subject to interpretation like symbols?
Figures are generally not subject to personal interpretation in the way symbols are; they convey specific information.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
