Symbolisations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of creating representations or abstract concepts that signify ideas or emotions through various forms
2. The process by which descriptions or depictions are employed to convey deeper meanings or messages symbolically
3. Utilizing diverse methods to embody thoughts or feelings in a way that transcends literal interpretation

Etymology: "Symbolisations" is simply the plural of "symbolisation", the act or result of making something symbolic. That noun is built from "symbol" with the suffix "-isation", the British spelling of "-ization", which turns a base into a verb and then, with the ending "-ation", into a noun naming the process. So the plural refers to multiple such acts or instances, such as the many ways a culture turns objects into emblems of belief. The base word "symbol" traces back through Latin "symbolum" to Greek "symbolon", a token made by breaking a piece of pottery or similar object in two, with each party keeping half to prove identity when the halves were later matched. The idea of a sign that stands for something else is therefore embedded in the root: a broken object that means a relationship. The "-isation" ending, adding a sense of making or doing, was attached in English to form many nouns of this kind.

Synonyms: representations, embodiments, manifestations, significations, symbols