Signifier and Signified

The terms "signifier" and "signified" are from semiotics, the study of signs and symbols. The "signifier" is the physical form of a sign—such as a word, image, or sound—that we perceive. The "signified" is the concept or meaning it represents in our mind. For example, the word "tree" (signifier) evokes the idea of a tall plant with branches (signified). Together, they form a sign: the physical form and the meaning it conveys. Understanding this helps clarify how communication links symbols to ideas in our everyday language.